Bold travel refers to the rise of the ‘conscious traveller’

Intrepid Travel’s introduction of a premium product in 2020 has not only increased sales, but also strengthened relationships with travel advisors, said Matt Berna, president and managing director of the Americas.

And while the global tour operator has made changes to its product over the past few years, including growing and increasing Intrepid Premium to 30 percent of its business, he says the changes at the company are all about “results growth.” A conscious traveler is aware of the impact of travel, culturally aware and climate aware.

Revenues in 2010 Up 80 percent from 2019, the “conscious traveler” trend seems to be working with no signs of slowing down. The operator, Berna said, is the biggest adventure travel B Corporation, third-party recognition such as labor rights, paying fair wages, paying local taxes and generally achieving strict high-level business practices.

And continuing the mission of “travel with a purpose”, Berna said, the marketing message focuses on the idea of ​​”good” travel – good for the environment and good for people – “in the best sense of the word”.

With the introduction of high-end tours–what Berna calls “four-star experiences at three-star prices”–Intrepid’s customer base has grown and evolved, now appealing to a large segment of the market between the ages of 60 and 70–complementing the service. The traditional 25-35-year-old demographic.

In addition to offering a higher level of hospitality, experienced local guides and more immersive experiences, these trips offer private or first-class local transportation and have “perfectly traveled itineraries,” she said. However, one thing that remains is a minimum group size of 8-10 and a maximum of 12.

Also trending for the operator are lesser-known destinations to Comoros (Comoros Wildlife Expedition) in Africa, Pakistan (Women’s Trekking and Trekking), Timor-Leste (new Asian country), Albania and the Great Inca Trail in Peru. . The company is moving not only to less-visited locations, but also to more people in highly-traveled destinations such as the Amalfi Coast – to spread the cost of travel across different communities.

And Intrepid has added more women-solo and women-led itineraries, including countries such as Morocco, Pakistan, Iran, Nepal, Peru and India. These programs provide employment opportunities for local women through locally-led experiences and support women-owned and operated businesses.

Matt Berna, Invincible Journey. (Photo credit: Brave Journey)

Berna said the US is the company’s fastest-growing market as Americans seek an immersive travel style with more meaningful and ongoing experiences.

The operator works to accommodate both older and younger customers by being “really welcoming”. Part of that is a “truly vertical” structure with 27 offices operating nearly 1,000 itineraries in more than 120 countries. In fact, during the outbreak, Intrepid paid many of its workers reduced hours rather than closing them entirely.

Recognizing consumer trends emerging from the pandemic, Intrepid will offer more cruises led by people of color and indigenous peoples. For example, the Gullah Ghee expedition to South Carolina hires local suppliers and uses black-owned businesses, including restaurants, hotels and transportation.

With the growth of more active travel, Berna said, Intrepid Premium is expanding into other modes of travel – such as walking and cycling. “There’s definitely an older, more active traveler who has the time and money,” he says.

The success of Intrepid Premium has allowed the operator to become more proactive in working with travel advisors, including becoming part of an additional affiliate. Already a member of Virtuoso, the company joined Ensemble last year and is now affiliated with the Travel Leaders Network. In addition, there is now a significant collaboration with AAA.

As a result, year-over-year industry sales in the US are up 63 percent from 2022 and 76 percent from 2019. The operator has expanded its North American partner team from one to four since September 2022 to better accommodate it. Increasing interest and demand of agency partners.

Intrepid currently has a specialist program where advisors can watch pre-recorded training and earn Intrepid Specialist certification, which it will renew this year. Additionally, there are plans for a separate Intrepid Polar Specialist certification. It is also planned to refresh the Consultant Resource Center with more up-to-date and relevant training and content coming in the next few months.

The premium product creates opportunities for higher commissions, Berna said, and consultants are eligible to earn 50 percent of any trip. The operator said it is also considering selling air and other peripherals to make transactions more user-friendly. Airport transfers and travel insurance will soon be available through the website.

While advisers used to see the company as a youth or adventure supplier, Berna said, “Now they see a great product that competes with luxury brands, but at half the price.”

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