We can’t stop won’t stop on our mission to create positive change through the joy of travel, and our latest Integrated Annual Report dives into the detail on how we did that in 2024.
This year was filled with record-breaking growth, important milestones and plenty of positive impact – you can check it allllll out in our latest annual report. Here are some of the highlights.
Becoming a bigger and better B Corp
We joined the global B Corp movement back in 2018 to help us make good on our pledge to be the best travel company not just in the world, but for the world. We recently recertified for the second time, upping our overall score from 92.2 to 102.5. This lands us among the top 30 large B Corps globally.
Our new-and-improved B Corp score reflects our commitment to growing in an inclusive way, where purpose and profit go hand in hand. At a time when some companies are reducing their focus on diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) and environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals, we’re digging our heels in.
Embracing the rail renaissance
Last year, we introduced a new range of trips dedicated to rail travel, bringing together over 40 itineraries, including three brand-new adventures – Express to the Orient, Trans Mongolian Railway and Paris to Rome by Rail.
These responsible rail journeys allow travellers to slow down and enjoy the ride. They also contribute to our global decarbonisation plans, which include replacing internal flights on our trips with less carbon-intensive options where it makes sense.
Supporting women in more ways
We champion women’s equality across our business and on our trips – and in 2024, we found new ways to do that. Like when The Intrepid Foundation partnered with ACCESS Development Services to support the launch of Holy City Rickshaws in Varanasi, India.
This initiative provides women from low-income households with training and employment as electric rickshaw drivers. Intrepid travellers can hop on a rickshaw ride and connect with these women on some of our India trips.
Inspiring the next generation of travellers
We debuted an expanded 18 to 35s trip range geared towards the next generation of curious travellers. We introduced 15 new trips exclusive to this age range, including Essential South Korea, Six Days in Iceland and One Week in Morocco.
Giving back in a bigger way
We’ve introduced more opportunities for travellers to connect with causes that matter in the destinations we visit, by adding Intrepid Foundation partner experiences to more of our trips. This ranges from hanging out with the world’s first all-female anti-poaching ranger unit in South Africa, the Black Mambas, to helping clean up the hiking trails of Nepal by collecting rubbish with the help of Sagarmatha Next.
These connections have long-lasting effects. Last year our travellers helped raise AUD 2.4 million for 54 Intrepid Foundation partners in 39 countries, contributing to positive change around the world.
To find out more about how our customers drove progress in local communities across the globe, check out The Intrepid Foundation’s 2024 Impact Report.
Digging into our supply chain
The term ‘supply chain’ might bore you to tears, but we really care about ours. Our supply chain includes all the nearly 2000 suppliers and businesses we work with to bring our trips to life – every hotel we stay in and every attraction we visit. In 2024, we completed a three-year deep dive into our supply chain and reported that 84 per cent of our suppliers are locally owned businesses and 27 per cent are owned by underrepresented groups like women, racial minorities or Indigenous groups (up from 17 per cent in 2021).
We had the chance to further support one of these suppliers, the women of the Huilloc community that hosts our travellers in Peru’s Sacred Valley, by taking them to Machu Picchu for the first time.
Painting the town Intrepid red
You know how well you can spot your trip leader’s Intrepid red shirt in a crowd? In September, we took that splash of colour to city streets around the world in our biggest brand campaign yet, Only Intrepid, which showcases the special experiences you can only find with Intrepid. From the London Underground to Madison Square Garden in New York City, Intrepid caught the attention of aspiring travellers around the globe. It’s all part of our greater mission to become a globally iconic brand and reach more people with our responsible style of travel.
Trailblazing with new trips
We love to inspire travellers to explore alternative experiences in undertouristed regions that can genuinely benefit from low-impact, mindful tourism. In 2024, we became one of the first global tour operators to lead treks in Pakistan’s Karakorum Mountains, working closely with local operators to ensure the benefits stay within the community. We also launched our newest Women’s Expedition in Saudi Arabia, giving travellers an opportunity to explore this emerging destination through the eyes of the women who call it home.
We also unveiled our Not Hot List to bring attention to destinations like these and to help spread the benefits of tourism more widely.
Read the full Integrated Annual Report to learn more about our financial, environmental and social performance in 2024 and how we’re holding ourselves accountable to being better.
