Our Tour Operators That Give Back series meets a company that bears responsibility not only to the traveler, but also to the communities they visit and the world itself.
Share this article
Travel offers us the opportunity to leave the comfort of home, accept the difference and open up to new experiences that can change our view of the world. Undaunted travel is dedicated to this opportunity by finding ways to build human connections, support local communities, respect the environment and bring us all a little closer together.
Intrepid itineraries are designed to include as much time as possible to do local things with locals. This experience helps travelers look behind the scenes and understand what makes a travel destination special. Whether it is about getting to know the Sherpa culture in the most mountainous parts of Nepal, camping with Maasai warriors in the plains of Kenya, eating crispy pork banh mi on a street food tour through Hanoi or with local women in the Sacred Valley in Peru to weave – it is these moments that create lasting travel memories.
Responsible behavior has been at the heart of the company since Intrepid’s early days as a tour operator. Its investments in local communities, human rights initiatives, conservation projects and the environment range from increasing employment opportunities for women in the travel industry to becoming the first global tour operator to ban elephant rides in 2014. To be a conscientious globetrotter, Intrepid aims to make it easier by adopting principles of sustainable Incorporating tourism and development into the real experiences it offers its guests.
Immersive, eventful, responsible travel
Intrepid Travel founders Darrell Wade and Geoff Manchester (known as “Manch”) met while studying in Melbourne. After a few individual trips, they arranged a trip to Africa with a group of friends in 1988. They bought an old truck, fitted it with seats and supplies, and set off for most of a year. During this adventure, the two slipped into the idea of what was going to turn into Intrepid. The word seemed to perfectly describe their style of travel and what they wanted to create.
Article continues under advertising
“We thought about days as backpackers and how it was an incredibly immersive way to travel,” says Wade. “The challenge is that people with traditional jobs don’t have many vacation days. With the time it takes to get into a backpacker’s swing – from transportation needs to whereabouts – the journey will be over before things work out right. But with the details set in advance, you’ll spend less time researching and more time getting close to the community and meeting real people at your destination. “
More than 30 years on, Intrepid Travel is a global leader in sustainable, fun travel that takes visitors deeper into destinations and cultures to benefit both travelers and the communities they visit. The company’s nonprofit arm, the Intrepid Foundation, has donated more than $ 7.9 million to over 130 community organizations (such as Education for everyone in Morocco and Blue Carbon Lab in Australia). Purpose.
“We have noticed a change in the travel values of our guests over time,” says Wade. “Of course, on a first trip, people make decisions based on available time, departure date, price, and other functional features. But when we interview the same person after the trip and ask them what was great about their experience, the values and approaches we call “responsible travel” are high on their list. Over time, we can see from regular customers how we have influenced them and how they reevaluate their travel habits. “
How Intrepid Travel Returns
Intrepid ensures that it incorporates responsible travel fundamentals into each of its trips. While becoming a fully carbon neutral company in 2010, it took another step in 2020 by becoming the first tour operator in the world with verified, science-based climate targets – an initiative that is a collaboration between four organizations, including the United Nations Global Compact . As part of Intrepid’s initiative to responsibly rebuild the tourism industry after the pandemic, it released the 10-step quick guide to decarbonizing your travel business, written by the in-house environmental impact expert Dr. Susanne Etti.
Article continues under advertising
Intrepid’s goal of a broader decarbonization plan is to remove all flights under 90 minutes from the top 50 trips by the end of 2022 as the company continues its operations in line with a 1.5 ° C future, the goal of the historic 2015 Paris Agreement. This agreement was born at the COP21 meeting in Paris, where all countries agreed to work together to limit global warming to well below 2 ° C and 1.5 ° C to strive for. When the heads of state and government met again in November 2021 for COP26 (in Glasgow), Wade was there, urges the tourism industry to limit their carbon footprint and share Intrepid’s open source guide on decarbonizing the travel industry. Intrepid itself recently launched more than 40 new low-carbon alternatives that are both better for travelers and better for the planet. Examples are more “man-made” adventures like that Walk in Yosemite National Park Travel and replaces the usual flight between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh on Premium Cambodia Tour with a boat trip on the Tonle Sap River.
The Australian company has also recognized its responsibility to the Aboriginal Elders and Torres Strait Islander – and their enduring ties to land, waters and communities – by joining the reconciliation movement. Phase two of his Four pillar commitment includes developing other tour experiences for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and working with nonprofits through the Intrepid Foundation.
Most recently, in August 2021, Intrepid launched a new Global Campaign for Vaccines and Equity This included increasing local resources to support vaccine access and education. With less than 4 percent of COVID-19 vaccines being given in low-income countries worldwide, Intrepid believes vaccine equity is essential to saving lives and restarting economies and rebuilding the tourism industry.
Intrepid’s responsible travel values are rooted in the culture and day-to-day operations of its offices and travel. “I’ve seen how travel has changed over the course of our lives,” says Wade. “By enabling people to connect with different communities and experience what life is like in the places they travel, they are much better informed about the world as a whole and how all of our actions are going influence each other. “
>> Next: Tour operator Explorandes works with locals to show you the real Peru
