Open Jaw :: On The Town ::

with Suzanne Christie
06OCT08

Steven in front of the Pick And Mix wall of travel styles at the Intrepid Travel Toronto office

Intrepid’s Steven Larkin with BDMs Kate Rosen and Kirk MacDonald

Even the wait staff couldn’t wait to go on an Intrepid adventure!

At The Intrepid Travel Toronto Launch

It’s pretty cool to have an adventure travel company that goes to 100 countries around the world and offers 10 different styles of trip - from family to urban adventures. But how cool is it to open your Canadian store in the heart of Toronto’s bohemian Annex neighbourhood?

That’s what Intrepid Travel has done. The 19 year old Aussie company has decided that we like fleece and kayaks enough to flog their unique combo of adventure + sustainability + small group travel to Canucks.

“We really are the right company at the right time,” says North American prez Steven Larkin, who has an extensive background in the adventure travel business. “And our slogan says it all: real life experiences. The company has a strong green ethos and we are not only heavily behind the concept of carbon neutral travel but often plan itineraries using local public transit, bicycling and hiking.”

The Intrepid presence is a big revenue opportunity for agents, according to Larkin. This is an opportunity to contact clients who like to travel “outside the box” – and agents can sell the company with confidence knowing that every departure is guaranteed, even if there is only one client booked.

Their Toronto space is decked out to give you a sense of Intrepid’s world, with maps, guide books and huge flat screen TV’s showing footage from around the world so engaging it’s enough to make you want to break out your safari outfit. Which is just what the wait staff were wearing at the launch party: a nice nod to the spirit of adventure behind Intrepid.