Selling and making a profit is important to any business, but for Intrepid there’s a bigger purpose to distributing travel than just bringing in the big dollars.
Speaking to KarryOn days after announcing the company’s big split from the TUI Group, Managing Director James Thornton and Regional Director Peter Rawley said the company aims to make a difference in every country it tours.
“We visit a lot of destinations where they rely on touring to survive and we feel as though it’s our responsibility to give back where we can.”
James Thornton, Intrepid Group Managing Director
Using Nepal as an example, the company has raised over $400,000 through donations and donation matching since the major April quake.
The money is being used to help locals reestablish their lives as well as rebuild some of the damage caused to infrastructure.
But the generosity doesn’t stop there.
The Group will donate all profits on Intrepid Travel’s 2015/16 Nepal season to charities.
Unsurprisingly, Thornton said that despite the charitable incentive, sales for the seven-month peak period between October 2015 and May 2016 is still ‘slow’.
This is mainly due to public uncertainty and fear of further quakes.
However, despite the severity of the initial earthquake, Thornton said the country is open for tourism, with infrastructure still ‘relatively stable’.
“Tourism is Nepal’s number one source of income. If we don’t try and get people travelling back there it’s going to be a disaster for them and the locals.”
James Thornton, Intrepid Group Managing Director
“Now it’s our responsibility to get people back there.”
As well as continuing Intrepid’s charitable reputation, Thornton and Rawley said over the next few months the company would focus on converting its six brands away from PEAK to privatisation.
Thornton said parting ways with the TUI Group gives the Australian-owned company space for more innovative and entrepreneurial planning.
Although he didn’t specify what the industry can expect to see from the Group, he did say being private is better aligned with its ‘values and vision’.
Geoff Manchester, Darrell Wade and James Thornton.
“Intrepid is a real Aussie success story, it’s 100 percent Australian owned and run by two great guys.”
James Thornton, Intrepid Group Managing Director
“We’ve been blown away by the reception we’ve had from our staff and support from travel agent partners.”
“It’s time we move forward”.
We can’t wait to see what’s ahead.