Intrepid Travel has been curating guided trips around the world for more than 30 years, and its latest annual report revealed that 2025 brought in the company’s highest sales ever — $620 million in global bookings, which amounts to 26% growth over the previous year.
Also noteworthy: 2025 brought a 20% jump in sales from travel advisors.
We spoke with James Thornton, CEO of Intrepid Travel, to understand how he explains that growth, and what goals the brand is reaching for next.
On Meaningful Investment
Through its nonprofit, the Intrepid Foundation, Intrepid distributed $2.4 million to community and conservation partners around the world last year. The funds support people on the ground and in the destinations Intrepid guests visit, lifting up the communities that welcome others to learn alongside locals.
Investing in such communities is part of Intrepid’s appeal, Thornton says.
“We’re seeing a clear shift in what travelers want,” he said. “People are looking for deeper meaning on their holidays. They want connection, purpose and to know their travel is contributing positively to the communities they visit. That plays directly to our strengths — small groups, locally led, authentic experiences and a model that reinvests back into communities.”
A big part of our focus has been education — helping both travelers and advisors understand that you don’t have to choose between adventure and impact. You can have both.
Educating Consumers and Advisors
Thornton believes that Intrepid’s advisor outreach efforts boosted agent sales last year.
“A big part of our focus has been education — helping both travelers and advisors understand that you don’t have to choose between adventure and impact,” he said. “You can have both."
To increase brand visibility and accessibility, Intrepid recently opened a new sales and marketing office in Seattle and an operations base in Denver. That has led to more support for travel advisors and an expansion of product offerings. A partnership with REI and collaborative efforts with U.S. National Parks have also helped raise awareness of what Intrepid offers and what the company stands for.
Intrepid Travel offers small-group trips helmed by local guides.
Credit: 2026 Intrepid Travel“Our strategy is to ensure more people around the world are aware of our style of travel,” Thornton said. “We know that once someone experiences small-group travel, it becomes their go-to holiday. It’s about reaching more people and converting them to our way of traveling.”
Intrepid has set its sights on making the North American market its largest market by 2030. To reach that bar, the team will keep working to grow its reach on the continent.
“What’s interesting in North America is that the demand is there, but the awareness is still catching up,” Thornton said. “Travelers want these kinds of experiences, they just don’t always realize they already exist in a way that’s accessible and scalable.”
What’s on the Horizon for Intrepid Travel
As a climate-conscious company, Intrepid is always looking at its environmental footprint and determining how it might do better. In 2025, Intrepid announced its Climate Impact Fund; goals for the fund include electrifying vehicles in destinations all around the globe and investing in renewable energy sources that support its operations and supply chain. Intrepid has also set new emissions targets for 2030.
“This is not the easy path,” Thornton said. “It requires working closely with more than 10,000 suppliers and investing in solutions that are practical today, not theoretical in the future. But if we’re serious about impact, this is where the work needs to happen. Our focus is on building a business that is resilient, transparent and accountable — one that continues to raise the bar on what responsible travel can look like in practice.”
