Intrepid Travel wins prestigious green travel award

TORONTO, Oct. 27 /CNW/ - Steven Larkin, president/North America for worldwide adventure travel company Intrepid Travel, is delighted to announce that the company has been awarded the 2010 Responsible Travel & Tourism Forum's Annual Leadership Award.

The award spotlights an organization that embraces sustainability in a host of areas under the umbrellas of environment and social and community.  Criteria include, for example, contribution to habitat preservation, commitment to minimizing environmental impact and supporting and contributing to the communities that Intrepid travellers visit.

Intrepid offers around 1000 itineraries to over 100 countries and every continent around the world from Albania to Zambia. The company specializes in small groups, with an average of 12 passengers, often using local transportation and using the services of locally-owned inns and restaurants.

"With so many people becoming conscious of their impact on the environment, we think we're meeting the needs of a new style of traveller," says Larkin. "For example, we prefer to hire locally wherever we can, to encourage our clients to buy locally-made crafts as souvenirs, and to pick up a few words of the local language." The company offers free language lessons to anyone on its website (www.intrepidtravel.com).

Reached in Australia, Intrepid co-founder Darrell Wade expressed his pleasure at the Intrepid award. "We're delighted to be recognized in Canada just two years after opening our first office there.  Just like us, Canadian travellers want to travel lightly, respecting the environment and cultures of the places they visit."

Intrepid Travel also operates a foundation which supports some 40 projects around the world, aiding children, women, animals and the environment.  The company pays all administrative costs and doubles all contributions, and has raised over $2 million Cdn since its founding.

Commenting on their choice of Intrepid for the fourth annual Leadership award, judge Kari Grist commented that "Intrepid Travel is very impressive and definitely leaders in my mind."  Chris Robinson added "Intrepid is simply in a different league -- they demonstrate admirably what is achievable by a travel organization that has social and environmental responsibility as a core value."

"This is indeed a big thrill for us," says Larkin.  "But I think it's important to stress that responsible travel can be fun.  We go to great lengths to ensure our tours are sustainable, but to equally great lengths to make sure everyone has a great time and creates lifelong memories."

About Intrepid Travel Pty. Ltd.

With over 20 years of experience, Intrepid Travel is one of the world's leading small group adventure tour operators. Intrepid takes around 100,000 travellers to over 100 countries on all seven continents every year.  Intrepid trips are designed to go off the beaten track, meet the residents and travel in an unconventional way, joining locals on their transport, in their markets and even in their homes.  Tours are as short as two hours ... or as encompassing as 150 epic days, and number over 1,000 itineraries ... but all are designed with sustainability in mind. Intrepid employs close to a thousand employees worldwide. 

Winner: 2010 Responsible Travel & Tourism Forum's Annual Leadership Award

Featured: 2009 National Geographic Traveler Magazine's 50 Tours of a Lifetime ("Istanbul to Teheran")

Winner: 2009 Association of South-East Asian National Tourism Association Award of Excellence

Winner: Wanderlust Magazine 2008 Tour Guide of the Year: Intrepid's Esam Adb El Salam

For further information:

Media enquiries: Katy Rockett at Intrepid Travel: 416-583-2674