Intrepid Travel - Carving out Relevance and Distinctiveness in a Crowded Market

Share in the Uncommon

Challenge

Intrepid Travel struggled to maintain relevance and distinctiveness in a crowded travel market. Despite being the original responsible travel company, it faced difficulties differentiating itself from competitors relying on generic imagery and conventional marketing.

Post-pandemic shifts emphasised a growing demand for deeper human connections, purposeful travel, and spontaneous experiences.

Solution

To address these challenges, Intrepid refined its positioning to "Share in the Uncommon," capturing the beauty of authentic, spontaneous, and immersive travel experiences.

This strategy was built on:

• A focus on personalisation and precision, creating an intimate human lens while appealing to specific regional and demographic needs.

• A redefined storytelling approach, showcasing moments of human connection, cultural immersion, and shared journeys.

• Reinforcing its B Corp status through sustainability, local partnerships, and responsible tourism.

• Broadening its message to appeal to ethical travellers, digital explorers, and experience seekers.

The campaign leveraged digital excellence and a purpose-driven narrative to attract new audiences and engage existing ones.

Impact

• Record-breaking financial performance. November 2024 bookings exceeded $80M, contributing to projected revenues of more than $630M in 2024.

• Expected to surpass an ambitious EBITDA target of $72M.

• Increased customer satisfaction, achieving a record Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 82, a six-point improvement from 2022.

• Clearer commitment to sustainability, advancing the 2030 vision of connecting more communities and people.

• Stronger employee engagement, with an Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) of 64, up from 58 in 2023.

• Elevated brand recognition and global score, reaffirming its leadership in responsible travel through trust, transparency, and impact.

By embracing its heritage and evolving its brand positioning, Intrepid not only strengthened its market position but also created a deeper connection with travelers, employees, and the communities it serves.