Intrepid Travel has been recognised as one of the best places to work in Australia, topping both the Retail, Hospitality, Tourism & Entertainment and Large Organisation (500+ employees) categories in the 2025 AFR BOSS Best Places to Work Awards.
The Melbourne-based travel company, which operates under B Corp certification, stood out for workplace innovation, employee engagement, and people-focused initiatives.
Free trips, extra leave and flexible work
One of the standout perks? Every employee at Intrepid gets a free Intrepid trip each year—plus five additional days of leave to take it.
Staff are encouraged to travel with the company to better understand the customer experience and gain insight into operations, sustainability efforts and community partnerships. Friends and family can also tag along at discounted rates.
“There aren’t many companies that give their staff extra leave days to explore the world,” said Intrepid Travel CEO James Thornton.
“We want our people to experience our trips through the eyes of our customers, to better understand what we do well, and where we can improve.”
In 2024, more than 400 team members took advantage of the program, with trips spanning Intrepid’s global network.
High engagement, global scale
The employee travel program is just one of several initiatives that contributed to Intrepid’s high global engagement score—reflected in a 2024 eNPS (employee Net Promoter Score) of 64.
The award also recognised Intrepid’s investment in flexible work policies, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and family-friendly benefits.
Key policies include:
- A revamped family leave policy covering additional care costs, rooming upgrades and reimbursements for annual travel companions.
- Flexibility in working hours, including the option to work a 9-day fortnight or adjust hours to suit personal needs.
- 20 hours of paid volunteering leave per year for office-based staff.
- The creation of employee-led diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) groups, and the appointment of a Global Remuneration and Benefits Lead and DEI Specialist.
“As a truly global business, we know our people have different needs and we strive to ensure each and every person feels valued and empowered at work,” said Meegan Marshall, Intrepid’s Chief People and Purpose Officer.
“This recognition is testament to our Global People team for championing new ways to improve our people experience globally.”
A big year for Intrepid
Intrepid employs more than 3,000 people across 31 offices worldwide, including tour leaders and crew. In 2024, the company recorded $626 million in revenue—a 17% increase year-on-year—marking its best performance to date.
Earlier this year, Intrepid brought 240 team members together in Sri Lanka for its Global Summit. The multi-day event focused on team bonding, collaboration, and alignment on the company’s 2030 strategy.
The AFR BOSS recognition follows a string of recent accolades for Intrepid. The company was a finalist in the 36th National Banksia Sustainability Awards (Supply Chain and Responsible Procurement category) and was recently named the second-fastest growing company in Australia on the AFR Fast 100 list.
KARRYON UNPACKS: Free trips, flexible schedules and paid volunteering leave are just part of the picture. With 3,000+ staff and growing demand for purpose-led travel, Intrepid’s culture-first model could signal where the trade is headed next.
