Intrepid Travel Adds 18 to 29s Range to Grow Sustainable Tourism

17 July 2018
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  • From camping in Iceland to surfing in Morocco, Intrepid says 18 to 29s are choosing immersive local experiences over backpacking and big bus tours.


  • Socially conscious young travelers are driving the growth of sustainable tourism, inspiring Intrepid to launch an 18 to 29s range and change sister-brand Geckos Adventures for good.


  • The move to a bigger global brand means more departures for travelers and a commitment by Intrepid to double donations to projects that help marginalized youth around the world.

Intrepid Travel, the world’s largest adventure travel company, has launched a new range of more than 80 trips exclusively designed for 18 to 29-year-old travelers.

The company has seen a growing appetite for its style of sustainable, immersive local experiences, with global sales up 17% last year. The 18 to 29 age group is a key demographic fueling this growth, with a 7% increase in departures last year among them.

Priced at the same level as Intrepid’s Basix range, Intrepid Group CEO James Thornton says the new 18 to 29s range provides a socially conscious generation with a stress-free alternative to backpacking and big bus tours.

Youth travel is one of the fastest growing sectors in tourism and Thornton wants to make it easier for younger travelers to do the right thing. The company will be offering $99 deposits on its 18 to 29s trips.

“Sustainable travel doesn’t have to be expensive,” says Thornton. “This age group will increasingly influence travel trends. Their buying decisions can help to reduce demand for activities like visiting orphanages or riding elephants.”

Intrepid has partnered with Friends-International, a leading social enterprise saving lives and building futures for marginalized young people around the world. Intrepid will make a donation to Friends-International for every 18 to 29s trip booked.

The launch of a new Intrepid range means the end of an era for Geckos Adventures, which was originally a competitor to Intrepid’s Basix range but has been managed by the Intrepid Group since 2013. From October 1, 2018 all Geckos Adventures tours will become Intrepid Travel’s 18 to 29s trips. Intrepid’s range will offer 20% more departures and new trips to destinations such as Iceland and Russia for 2019.

Thornton says that the decision to merge Geckos into Intrepid 18 to 29s makes sense.

“We know this is the right decision. Intrepid has four times the number of 18 to 29s travelers as Geckos. It’s a global brand, whereas Geckos is almost entirely sold in Australia.”

“Focusing the power of our global brand on the youth market is just another way that we can invest in sustainable travel for the long-term. Intrepid has a much bigger audience and this decision means we can have better conversations with 18 to 29s about the things that matter.”

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