Situation
Intrepid Travel is a leader in small group travel that is widely hailed for its “purpose before profit” brand promise and tours that connect travelers closely with the people and culture of the destinations they visit. When we began work with Intrepid in 2014, it suffered from low brand awareness and its voice was absent from the media landscape. Intrepid engaged us to lead PR efforts with leading reasons for this partnership being our proprietary research and strategic insights, our intimate knowledge of the travel industry and our close relationships with journalists in order to tell its many nuanced stories. The narratives we craft are tailored to the brand’s top consumer targets: Millennials and Gen Xers who want to participate in a small group adventure tour with like-minded travelers and that is inclusive of the local community, authentic, ethical and environmentally responsible. The agency’s work includes CEO positioning and executive thought leadership, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and day-to-day media relations focused on promoting Intrepid tours, special deals and promotions, and showcases the company’s robust sustainability programs.
Action
Our agency has been instrumental in growing Intrepid Travel’s profile in the U.S. market from a relatively unknown, niche tour operator to an innovator and industry leader in purpose-driven, sustainable travel. We have been able to achieve this by telling the compelling human stories that have led to Intrepid earning B. Corp status, elevating its executives into thought leaders, building buzz and anticipation for its products, and keeping the brand culturally relevant. To this end, we have helped propel a number of Intrepid programs into the national spotlight, including the charitable work of The Intrepid Foundation, its goal to be carbon positive in 2020, putting an end to unethical wildlife tourism, and supporting female empowerment through employment in the tourism industry. Major campaigns have included the launch of Intrepid’s Womens’ Expeditions, Polar Expeditions and Hola Cuba Tours, as well as the annual roll-out of Intrepid’s “Where to Go” and “Not Hot” lists of destinations and tours.
FAST COMPANY MOST INNOVATIVE COMPANY AWARD
When our work to promote Intrepid’s new range of women-only led tours resulted in them selling out faster than any other tour in the 30-year history of the company, we leveraged the opportunity to position the company as an innovator in the industry. The agency used the popularity of the tour to secure an interview with Fast Company about Intrepid Travel’s newly developed Chief Purpose Officer position, which contributed to Intrepid eventually being chosen by the magazine as “Most Innovative Company” in 2019.
CEO POSITIONING
Darrell Wade, co-founder of Intrepid Travel, remains the company’s conscience to ensure that travel serves as a force for connection, understanding and humanitarian aid when needed. In 2014, following a devastating earthquake in Nepal, our team led an exhaustive U.S. media relations campaign to educate the public about the problems the disaster created in the country and how they could contribute to Intrepid Travel’s “Rally for Nepal,” the largest independent fundraiser to support the beleaguered country. Since then, we have also introduced media and industry stakeholders to the company’s newly appointed CEO, James Thornton, who after 10 years with the company took the helm of its operations in 2017. CEO features have appeared in The New York Times, Travel Weekly, Skift and more.
FAM TRIPS
We have placed more than 30 journalists on Intrepid trips – from dive expeditions in the Galapagos and Mt. Everest climbing adventures to train journeys in India, wine tasting in Moldova and cigar making in Cuba. By offering journalists’ firsthand experiences of Intrepid Tours, we are able to generate feature coverage for the company, and in many cases, multiple features by the same author in different media outlets
CONSUMER PROMOTIONS
Designed to generate website visitation, drive sales, and showcase Intrepid Travel’s trip planning know-how, the agency created a special Cyber Monday promotion called the 365-Day Adventure. The itinerary would take travelers on the trip of a lifetime across six continents, and it became one of the most talked-about stunts over the holiday season that year. It allowed us to cast a spotlight on the most compelling elements of the company story. The 365-Day Adventure was covered in national news outlets including ABCNews.com, Mashable, TODAY, Travel + Leisure and The Los Angeles Times.
Results
Our media relations work has resulted in Intrepid becoming a company that is closely followed by important consumer and travel trade reporters and a trusted source for information. Because of our efforts, Intrepid’s “Not Hot” and “Where to Go” lists are eagerly anticipated by the media every year and are regularly covered in key publications including Travel + Leisure, Business Insider, and Travel Weekly. We have also contributed to the company winning major awards and editorial accolades and have secured speaking opportunities for executives at industry events, including The New York Times Travel Show.
Overall, our efforts have delivered more than 2,000 placements with a reach of 15.5 billion impressions. This massive media presence has fueled sales for Intrepid. The brand has experienced 24% overall growth in U.S. bookings, and our launch campaigns for India Women’s Expeditions and Hola Cuba Tours increased bookings to the tune of 15% for India and 56% for Cuba.
- 15.5 Billion Impressions
- 24% Overall Growth in U.S Bookings
- 56% Increase in Bookings for Hola Cuba Tours
