Intrepid Travel has appointed Malinda Samarasekera as general manager for Thailand and Laos.
An experienced travel leader, Samarasekera will relocate from Sri Lanka to take up the role in early August.
Samarasekera brings extensive operational and leadership experience to the role, having served as general manager – DMC Sri Lanka since February 2025. He has also held roles as both assistant manager and manager of Sri Lanka-based Aitken Spence Travels, manager of NKAR Travels & Tours and head of sales at Inspire Travels.
Regional general manager, South East Asia, Mike Stewart, said Samarasekera’s appointment reflects Intrepid’s commitment to investing in strong local leadership.
“We’re thrilled about the energy, experience and leadership Malinda brings to the team, and we can’t wait to see the impact he’ll make. His deep understanding of our business and our locally led model makes him a fantastic fit to lead our Thailand and Laos operations.
“Thailand holds a special place in Intrepid’s history as the first destination we operated in when we launched in 1989, and today we offer more than 50 itineraries across the country. We’re also seeing strong momentum in Laos, where year-to-date bookings have grown 20 per cent, making this an exciting time for Malinda to lead the next chapter of growth.”
Samarasekera said that he was thrilled to be taking on the new role and relocating to Thailand.
“It’s an exciting opportunity to work alongside an incredible team and support the continued growth of Intrepid’s locally led travel experiences in Thailand and Laos.”
Samarasekera will commence the role in early August, working closely with teams across both destinations to ensure a smooth transition.
