Intrepid Group plans to enhance agent experience

A closer relationship with the Canadian travel agent community is one of several developments in store following the Intrepid Group's recent return to independent ownership.

Cyndi Zesk, president of Intrepid Group for North America, told PAX that the recent dissolution of the companies' PEAK Adventure Travel Group partnership (which will see Intrepid Travel co-founders Darrell Wade and Geoff Manchester take back full ownership of the company) will allow for more flexibility and innovation, as the company forges ahead in the ever-evolving adventure travel market. The partnership, which began in 2011, was established “to build the world’s largest adventure travel portfolio,” Zesk said and although a successful venture, it was decided that an “amicable split” would allow the two businesses to more easily grow their respective market segments, she explained.

“Adventure travel has changed so much, especially over the last 20 years and this change will allow us to adjust to market demands,” Zesk said.

Under the new arrangement, Intrepid Group will retain brands including Adventure Tours Australia, Geckos Adventures, Intrepid Travel, Peregrine Adventures, The Family Adventure Company, Urban Adventures, plus the company's group of global destination management companies (the North American DMC will be maintained by TUI, Zesk said). Meanwhile, TUI has created an Adventure Specialist Division, which will include ‘higher-end experiential brands’ previously operated under the PEAK umbrella including Exodus, Headwater, TrekAmerica, Grand American Adventures and Sawadee, alongside Quark Expeditions, Zegrahm Expeditions and International Expeditions.

While Zesk said that travellers themselves won’t notice any difference, the return to independence will allow for increased focus on Intrepid’s industry partners. She said the change will also allow agents to access the multiple brands through the “single portal” of the Intrepid Group, easing the booking process.

“We will now be able to allocate more resources toward things like training, incentives and partner marketing,” Zesk said. “The industry will also be able to access adventure though a single portal; this makes the agent's experience easier and more streamlined by allowing them to leverage one point of contact, one contract, one partnership for all adventures.”