Intrepid Travel has the ambitious goal of becoming a household name in America.
The Australia-based company is making a push to attract more American travelers and broaden its reach in North America. Intrepid in November appointed Leigh Barnes as president of the Americas to lead the effort for the company's fastest-growing and most important market.
Speaking with Travel Weekly, Barnes discussed the company's U.S. growth plan to reach more Americans and his goal to instill a sense of curiosity and wanderlust in them.
"My vision is that Intrepid is a household name here in the USA, and we have more intrepid people traveling more sustainably and having great experiences," Barnes said.
Intrepid, which recently completed its B Corp recertification, hopes to clear $500 million in sales by 2030, but the more immediate goal is to bring 100,000 Americans on its journeys this year. To accomplish this plan, Intrepid will make a big marketing push over the next two years as well as increase product offerings, expand its lodging portfolio and publish travel books.
The plan for expanded lodging in the coming years is "ambitious," Barnes said: 15 to 20 hotels, up from the two Intrepid now operates in Australia and Vietnam. It has a joint venture with Australia-based off-grid accommodations company CABN and last year hired Celine Hurelle to accelerate efforts. The company plans to have a hotel in America by 2030.
Over the next 18 months, the company will unveil new trips, including more itineraries curated for Americans to both North and Latin America, and launch shorter trips to Central and South America and Europe. The company acquired Wildland Trekking in Flagstaff, Arizona, which Barnes said will "help grow the amount of Americans being able to see their own backyard."
Accommodations at the Daintree Ecolodge, which is owned and operated by Intrepid Travel. Intrepid wants to add a lot more hotels. Photo Credit: Daintree Ecolodge
'Sticking to our values'
Intrepid will continue its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts, despite the Trump administration's goal to curtail the initiatives in the corporate world. Barnes said the company's commitment to sustainability also remains steadfast. The company's nonprofit, the Intrepid Foundation, is on track to receive 501c3 status this year.
"We'll continue to stick to our values," Barnes said. "So Intrepid will be intrepid. It's important to us. We're going to continue to do that."
The company supports DEI efforts in its home country of Australia, where Intrepid offers over 100 First Nations experiences on its itineraries. Intrepid also employs more than 300 Indigenous porters in Peru and hired a social worker to assist them in understanding their rights.
Similarly, Intrepid plans to support American communities by partnering with local and BIPOC-owned businesses.
Already, the company works with Indigenous suppliers in Alaska, Utah and South Dakota and plans to expand those efforts across the country. Establishing partnerships with like-minded brands is a main focus of the U.S. growth plan.
"One of the most powerful forms of tourism is money going into local economies," Barnes said. "And we'll be ensuring that we're supporting local businesses and then championing women's rights and women working in tourism. That's been a big focus for us as an organization."
The company's first book
Part of the company's plan of becoming popular in the U.S. is to introduce more clients to its brand by way of city tours in major U.S. cities and its entry into book publishing. The city tours are part of the brand's Urban Adventures day tours, which feature local guides giving travelers -- or residents looking to better understand their cities -- an insider's look at places like New York, Boston and Seattle.
The company's first book, "The Intrepid List," is out now and offers 100 experiences the company hopes will inspire adventure. The book has a disclaimer on the cover advising readers that it is "not a bucket list" but instead features "100 uncommon experiences to change the way you travel."
Intrepid plans to publish three books next year focused on Iceland, Peru and Italy, and hopes to produce four to six books annually.