More than 75 new, low-impact domestic adventures have arrived from Intrepid Travel that pack plenty of heart and can be done in less than a week.
With the launch of ‘Intrepid Local’ (which was partially revealed last week by Travel Weekly), travellers across Australia, New Zealand and Europe won’t just be packing their bags on weekenders, staycations or short getaways.
On tours from two to six days in duration, they’ll be sampling and supping the best Australia’s communities have to offer, and giving back.
Speaking to Travel Weekly, Sarah Clark, who heads the project, said travellers and agents can expect Australian adventures in the Blue Mountains, Byron Bay, the Kimberley region, and Cradle Mountain, with the express purpose of contributing to the recovery of the nation’s beleaguered destinations.
“I’m so excited to be able to start talking about travel again, and also to bring our Australian customers the Intrepid experience that they love and know from around the world, but bringing it to them in Australia,” Clark said.
That means digging into local cultures, local experiences and Australia’s “amazing produce” while being sustainable and “experience-rich”, she said, highlighted by a new feature of the range called ‘Intrepid Retreats’.
According to Clark, this will see groups immerse themselves in a single location, like Tasmania’s Bay of Fires, in handpicked accommodation ranging from small boutique properties to glamping, with nearby experiences like hikes, winery tours, farm visits, and foraging, among others.
“Some of the new trips are more about slow travel and staying in one area and really exploring it,” Clark said.
“But apart from that, it is still very much aligned with our Intrepid values, so it’s about supporting local communities, getting out into nature, being active, and exploring and tasting the different foods of the region.
“So, there’s definitely a lot of commonalities [with Intrepid’s other product], but just targeted to the domestic traveller.”
Clark added that the trips tap into a market identified by Intrepid research, which found that Australian travellers’ main priority in domestic travel is to support local economies.
Furthermore, research of close to 2,000 people found that 66 per cent sought hiking and nature walks, 49 per cent sought food and wine experiences, while 46 per cent want multi-day trips to new regions on their next travel experience.
Intrepid also discovered nearly 50 per cent of travellers see themselves going solo on their first domestic trip, while 40 per cent favour travelling with a partner.
The tours arrive in the perfect time for Australians, with states flagging July open dates for their domestic borders, and for out-of-work tour guides – some of who, on the new tours, will come from Intrepid’s own ranks.
According to Clark, some of Intrepid Local tours will be led by a few of her colleagues.
“I guess one example is Mandy, who’s our sales rep in New South Wales. She is a yoga teacher, and she’ll be taking one of our retreats in Byron Bay,” Clark told Travel Weekly.
“She’s actually from that area herself. It just all fits really beautifully, and she’s super excited to be doing that.”
In addition to these new tours, Intrepid will continue to offer day tours in more than 200 cities and 100 countries through Intrepid Urban Adventures.
The company will also be ramping up its tailormade and private group product for travellers who want a custom version of Intrepid’s group tours.
Additionally, as with all Intrepid tours, the Local range will be 100 per cent carbon-offset and designed to have a low environmental footprint while contributing to the company’s non-profit, the Intrepid Foundation.
All Intrepid trips will be operated under the World Travel & Tourism Council’s ‘Safe Travels’ protocols, and travellers can book with confidence with the company’s newly introduced flexible booking policy.
Featured image credit: Intrepid Travel
