Preview: Intrepid Travel Launches Adventures Closer to Home

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18 Jun 2020

Intrepid Travel Launches Adventures Closer to Home

Intrepid Retreats, a brand-new tour range, will bring travellers together closer to home, while supporting local communities along the way

Intrepid Travel, the world's leading sustainable tour operator, has introduced a new collection of tours called Intrepid Retreats. This innovative new range is a first for Intrepid, in which small groups immerse themselves in one location, staying in handpicked accommodation ranging from small boutique properties to glamping, with nearby experiences ranging from hikes to wineries to fishing, cooking, cycling, stargazing and more.

The new product range has been curated in direct response to local restrictions beginning to lift following the COVID-19 outbreak, with domestic and regional travel starting to re-open in some areas of the world. All Intrepid Retreats have been developed to empower and support local communities during the economic recovery, in line with Intrepid's values of using travel as a force for good.

“We are excited to launch Intrepid Retreats, our latest product range created by locals for locals that brings travellers safely back together, offering trips closer to home that support local communities and businesses rebounding from the pandemic,” said Zina Bencheikh, Managing Director of EMEA.

The new Retreats will be available from 29th July onwards, when lockdown restrictions ease, pending FCO guidance. With 12 Retreats based across the UK and Europe, a further two in the Middle East and one in North Africa, trips are leader-led and range from three to five days, with group departures and Tailor-Made trips both available. UK destinations include Scotland, Cornwall, and Suffolk, plus active walking and cycling trips in The Lake District and The Peak District; while Retreats abroad include remote locations in Greece, Croatia, Iceland, Portugal, Italy, Turkey, Morocco and Jordan.

Recent research conducted by Intrepid Travel of over 1000 UK travellers found that 87% of people plan to travel in the UK in 2020, with 47% opting to go abroad. When asked what motivated them to travel, 78% sought hiking and nature walks, 62% sought history and culture experiences, 46% preferred to relax and unwind, while 38% wanted multi-active trips on their next travel experience.

“We've worked hard to respond to our customers' feedback and travel preferences post pandemic, whilst continuing to deliver on sustainable experience-rich travel experiences,” said Bencheikh.

“Our Retreats offer a diverse range of experiences,” added Bencheikh, “from 'Comfort' style hiking trips in the Scottish Highlands, to staying in a national park on one of Croatia's remotest islands. As with all our tours, Intrepid Retreats are 100% carbon offset and designed to have a low environmental footprint while having a positive impact on local communities.”

Intrepid Retreats will be operated under new Safe Travel protocols developed and endorsed by the World Travel & Tourism Council, with a new Flexible Bookings policy applicable so travellers can book confidently and change, move or cancel their travels with no fuss.

To explore the full range of trips available visit https://www.intrepidtravel.com/uk/new-local-tours

A sample of some of the new Intrepid Retreats range is as follows:

3 days - Suffolk Retreat: Halesworth (from £425 pp)

Glamp in a comfortable Yurt in the heart of the countryside
Enjoy a woodstove pizza baking experience using local produce
Take part in a wine tasting tour at an award-winning English vineyard
Explore beautiful countryside and stargazing on a guided night-time walk

4 days - Scotland Retreat: Glencoe (from £840 pp)

Enjoy a beautiful hike to the Pap of Glencoe, the most stunning mountain in the area
Cycle around the famous Loch Leven
Discover one of the oldest whisky distilleries in Scotland on a whisky tasting tour
Explore the village of Inverlochy and admire the old castle nestled on the side of the hill
Feast on a traditional Scottish dinner

5 days - Croatia Retreat: Lastovo Island (from £750 pp)

Stay in a guesthouse on the most remote island of Croatia, a protected national park
Take a fishing trip with a local fisherman, followed by a Seafood BBQ lunch
Get outside and keep active on a bike ride
Take a tour of the island on a full day boat trip with swimming and BBQ lunch on board
Wine tasting and dinner

4 days - Italy Retreat: The Veneto (from £730 pp)

Stay in a local boutique hotel, in this beautiful part of north eastern Italy
Visit to Valdobbiadene UNESCO world heritage Prosecco wine region
Lunch with wine tastings at a local vineyard
Cicchetti Food Tour with a local in Venice
Bike ride along the River Sile

In addition to these new tours, Intrepid Travel will still be offering day tours in over 200 cities and 100 countries through Intrepid Urban Adventures. Intrepid will also be ramping up their tailormade and private group product for travellers who want a custom version of Intrepid's group tours.

For more information about the full Intrepid Retreats range visit https://www.intrepidtravel.com/uk/new-local-tours or phone 0808 274 5111.

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Notes to Editors:

For images please see here.

NB: All UK images are taken from the Visit Britain image library and must be credited to Visit Britain and the photographer per below:

For more information please contact:

Nadia Walford, Senior PR Manager EMEA

nadia.walford@intrepidtravel.com

+447951058443

About Intrepid

Independently owned by the founders and staff of Intrepid Travel, Intrepid Group is a collection of three tour operator brands and 25 destination management companies united by the vision of Changing the Way People See the World. For more than 30 years, Intrepid has been taking small groups to travel the local way, on real life experiences that give back to the places and people we visit. As this style of travel has caught on, Intrepid has grown, and in 2019 offered more than 2,700 trips to more than 130 countries and on all seven continents. We cater for all ages, budgets, and appetites for adventure through Intrepid Travel, Peregrine Adventures and Urban Adventures. Globally renowned as a leader in responsible travel, in 2018 Intrepid became the world's largest travel business to be certified B-Corp, joining a growing community of businesses looking beyond the bottom line. Our not-for-profit, The Intrepid Foundation has raised over AUD $10M for more than 130 charities around the world.

For further information on Intrepid or to download the company's 2019 Integrated Annual Report, visit www.intrepidgroup.travel