Latest news with #IntrepidTravel
West Australian
4 days ago
- Business
- West Australian
Solo women travelling in good company
Women-only tours to destinations around the world are attracting solo guests of all ages and relationship status. Intrepid Travel offers six women's expeditions to India, Nepal, Morocco, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, with help available to book flights and pre or post accommodation. Senior product manager Jenny Gray launched Intrepid's initial expeditions to Jordan, Iran and Morocco on International Women's Day in 2018. They started as her passion project after she listened to feedback from women who wanted more opportunities to connect with local women and learn about their lives. For cultural and religious reasons, this wasn't always possible in mixed-gender groups. 'We thought it was a fantastic opportunity to create something that was really special and would incorporate experiences,' Jenny says. Intrepid expeditions are limited to 12 guests and the average group size is usually eight to 10, while women's ages can range from 20 to 80. 'An incredibly high percentage of the travellers on the women's expedition are travelling solo,' Jenny says. 'Globally that was around 80 per cent last year but for the Australian and New Zealand customers it's 66 per cent of them travelling solo, not necessarily single but choosing to travel alone.' For context, Jenny says 24 per cent of all Intrepid travellers (on any tour) from Australia and New Zealand are solo female travellers. She has also noticed huge growth in the 50-plus demographic. 'I've seen it described in a lot of reports as women living their second-best life,' she says. 'For whatever reasons they never put themselves first due to career, home and family and now it's their time.' India is the most popular Intrepid women's expedition with more than 20 departures a year, but Saudi Arabia has taken off since its launch a year ago. 'We've seen more bookings on that particular destination in the first six months of it being on sale than any other trip in the range,' Jenny says. Jenny says having Intrepid's own teams on the ground helps secure experiences unique to the women's-only expeditions. 'There are a lot of products on the market that are women-only trips, but they are standard itineraries that are just designated for women only. There's not really anything different in the design. 'That's what has set us apart; we wanted to make sure that the experiences we build into the itinerary are unique and special that will give women an opportunity to connect with women on the ground and give women on the ground an opportunity to share their own stories of what life is really like, their triumphs and the challenges. 'Intrepid always tries to support female, minority Indigenous-owned businesses in our supply chain but on these trips, it is intrinsic to the design.' Jenny cites an example of a city tour in India by tuk-tuk, made possible by supporting micro loans to women to become trained drivers. 'They can then support their families by having their own businesses,' Jenny says. Sonia Orrego, head of product at Wendy Wu Tours Australia, says solo travellers make up around 30 to 35 per cent of its guests, and many of those are women of all ages, backgrounds and life stages. 'Some are first-time solo travellers, others are seasoned explorers,' Sonia says. 'Many travel solo by choice, while others are seeking new adventures after life changes. 'For those who love the idea of sharing their journey with fellow solo travellers, we've created special tour departures reserved exclusively for solo guests. 'These tours offer a welcoming, community-style experience from the very beginning, because everyone on the trip is there and enjoying the trip as a solo traveller.' While they aren't women-only, Wendy Wu offers dedicated solo departures to destinations including China, India and Japan. Sonia says culturally-rich destinations 'continue to resonate with women looking for unique and meaningful travel experiences'. Sisterhood Womens Travel founder Hayley Morris was running a travel agency in a small Victorian country town when she discovered many rural women wanted to travel but their husbands couldn't leave their farms. She did a test trip to Hong Kong with a dozen women and noticed the camaraderie, support and encouragement among the group. 'That's when the magic started,' Hayley says. 'I decided that there really was something in it, so I decided to pursue that and eventually it overtook my retail travel agency.' Sisterhood Womens Travel has been operating for 20 years and ran its first official tour to Morocco, a destination Hayley continues to visit. Future tours range from a mini-break in Tasmania, to a 20-day Greek Islands adventure. Most guests are aged 60 and over. 'It's more about physicality because you can have a really healthy 80-year-old and have a really unhealthy 50-year-old,' Hayley says. 'Sometimes people get a little bit caught up on the age, whereas we really tend to concentrate more on their fitness.' The maximum number of guests on a tour is 16, with the average group size around 12. Sisterhood's hosted tours start and end in Melbourne but guests from all over Australia and New Zealand can connect a group at their destination, where they also pick up specialist guides. 'Basically, the role of our hostess is just to provide the support for our women,' Hayley says. Sisterhood's guests include widowed women used to travelling with their husbands, and women whose husbands have no interest in travelling. 'We've had feedback from ladies who have tried travelling outside of the women-only environment; they might travel with their sister and brother-in-law,' Hayley says. 'But the feedback is they feel like the third wheel. And unfortunately, single women no matter what age can be targeted by unwanted attention.' Hayley says her tour prices are higher because they include airfares and many meals and activities. Sisterhood also offers theatre nights, morning teas and winery visits in Melbourne for travellers to keep in touch. 'We are a business and obviously we make money but a lot of it for us is more about the community,' Hayley says. 'We want to bring women together in any capacity to reconnect through the joys of travel and new friendships.' fact file
Skift
6 days ago
- Business
- Skift
Hawaii Adds 'Green Fee' to Hotel Stays to Combat Climate Change
The new climate tax model shifts part of the climate change burden onto the travel sector, particularly hotels, vacation rentals, and cruise operators. Hawaii has enacted a new 'green fee' aimed at addressing the growing impacts of climate change. Signed into law on Tuesday, the measure adds a 0.75% surcharge to the state's existing accommodations tax, raising it from 10.25% to 11% on hotel room rates. Starting in January, the fee will also apply to cruise ship cabins when vessels dock in Hawaii for the first time. State officials say the added revenue will support disaster preparedness and environmental protection efforts across the islands. The state estimates it could raise around $100 million annually. The funds will go toward projects such as shoreline protection, wildfire prevention, and maintaining the natural ecosystems that draw millions of tourists each year. 'Once again, Hawaii is at the forefront of protecting our natural resources,' said Governor Josh Green at the signing ceremony. 'As an island chain, we cannot wait for the next disaster to hit. We must build resiliency now.' Lawmakers from both tourism-heavy and climate-vulnerable areas backed the bill. Senator Lynn DeCoite called it a matter of 'kuleana,' a Hawaiian concept referring to responsibility. 'Climate change is here,' she said. 'The bill shares the responsibility of caring for our home with those who come to visit.' Representative Adrian Tam, whose district includes Waikīkī, said the fee is a 'win-win' that balances tourism and environmental protection. Skift's in-depth reporting on climate issues is made possible through the financial support of Intrepid Travel. This backing allows Skift to bring you high-quality journalism on one of the most important topics facing our planet today. Intrepid is not involved in any decisions made by Skift's editorial team.
NZ Herald
26-05-2025
- NZ Herald
The best travel advice you need right now
'Then you go further [and] you've got wine country galore. They've got 18 wine regions in South Australia, would you believe? As you go further north, then you've got these incredible outback experiences that are some of the best that Australia has to offer. 'So if you're wanting to experience Australia in one state, I would absolutely say South Australia is the way to do it.' Intrepid Travel's Brett Mitchell on overtourism in Europe 'They're overcrowded for a reason. They are amazing cities or towns, so I think you're entitled to go. 'Certainly some of the trends that we are seeing in travel is that people are tending to try to pick the times as to when they go to these destinations, either more shoulder season, or if they do go and see some of these amazing historic towns, uh, you get up early and try and do it off some of the peak times. 'And also, spread the love a bit. Just move around the country, don't necessarily spend all of your time in Barcelona, as an example. 'Go there for a couple of nights, but get out and really explore some other authentic towns and areas, and that's certainly some of the trends.' House of Travel's Jo Coolen on why you should talk to a travel agent about the South Pacific 'Probably one of the biggest mistakes we see people make with the time zone for the Cook Islands, so people have got their flight arriving and they haven't gotten anywhere to sleep. Or you might book an extra night at the other end not realising, so it is tricky. 'We know our places inside out and I think it's about matching the right island to the right customer. We're not gonna send somebody that's looking for Gucci shopping, for example, to Samoa. 'You've just got to qualify your customers and understand what it is they're really after. And sometimes they don't know themselves 'cause they dunno the options. They keep going back to the same place, because that's what they know.' Writer Peter Janssen on the magic of a Kiwi road trip I do those overseas trips as well, and I just think there's a surprising amount of that stuff that we can find out about our own country. It's all very well going to a castle somewhere, but this is our country and it's our history and we are related to the people and it's peculiar to us – and it's more peculiar to us, I think, than we think it is 'That's what makes it appeal a lot to me. Just go down that road, go to that little tiny museum, meet someone who's a, an odd collector of odd things.' Aesha Scott on the reality of working on super yachts - and why Kiwis are so popular 'We've got that no-nonsense kind of attitude and nothing phases us. So, you know, the manager might come up to a Kiwi and say, 'Oh, unfortunately, we're going to have to work another three hours till we get this done', we'd all go, 'sweet, what do we need to do?' and roll up our sleeves. But not every nationality takes it that way. 'I remember I used to do three months straight without stepping off the boat. It's just 16-hour shift, 16-hour shift. You drop off one guest group at 12pm, you've got to turn the boat around to get the next group on. 'So don't do it if you think it's just going to be a party holiday because you have to work your cute little tush off.' Cruise Lines International Association's Joel Katz on what's new in cruising 'The cruise lines are investing heavily in the onboard products, whether it's the entertainment or the food, or just the amenities that are available on board. They really are very focused on ensuring that their guests are having the best onboarding experience,' Katz said. 'There are some ships that are now specialising in gourmet dining [and] showcasing the food of the regions that they travel in. I've just been on a ship that has a test kitchen on board, and you can actually learn how to cook the food of the region. '[And] some of the ships have invested heavily in the most beautiful spa experiences on board.' Lylo's Tim Alpe on where to find good budget travel 'Anywhere in Southeast Asia, there's definitely a push in places like Thailand, places like Bali are really, really popular. 'South America is probably the most innovative place ever in terms of this new type of accommodation coming through. We get a lot of our ideas from South America. Hard to get there from here, but once you're there, really affordable, and the quality of accommodation is really, really high. " I've spoken to people who've done cruises around New Zealand on big cruise lines, or up and down the islands up here, and they pay a set fee and it's really, really affordable. 'So I think that idea is becoming a lot more of a popular option, not only for families, but for individuals and couples as well. When dollars are tight, you know exactly what you can budget for. You know exactly what you can save for.' Travel blogger Jessica Nabongo on what she learned from visiting every country on Earth by herself 'The biggest lesson that I have learned, and it is constantly affirmed for me, is that most people are good. 'I think we're living in a very weird time right now where there's a lot of division being sewn for a number of different reasons - and I caution people to get off the internet 'cause that's not the real world. 'But think about your everyday life. And the fact of the matter is, in your actual physical life, it's so rare that you meet an a-hole, right? For me, I'm constantly coming across people that are extending kindness to me, and in particular when I travel. 'And so I've been to over 100 countries solo as a woman, as a black woman. And the only reason I've been able to achieve that is because of the kindness of strangers. I go into someone else's country and they keep me safe, they tell me where to go, where not to go. 'The kindness of humanity is something that I will always argue. I don't care about whatever we're seeing on the internet, whatever the people in charge are doing and saying; at the end of the day, people care about people, and I will argue that to my grave. Allianz's David Wallace on why you need travel insurance in New Zealand and Australia 'People going to their favourite holiday park down in Taupō or catching a ferry across to the South Island, it may seem like it's reasonably small outlay compared to a big European trip, but all of those costs are costs on a household. 'Not being able to take that trip due to cancelling it due to your own medical reasons, weather impacting the ferry sailings, or something else going wrong, would mean that you can at least get that, that money back through a claim and enjoy that trip sometime later. 'Whilst we're not paying American-style medical bills in Australia, just the cost of a few hundred dollars out of pocket for an ambulance might be unplanned. 'Similarly, if you've got delays and cancellations due to weather, you want to know that you're not losing that money if it's something that the airline's not going to refund you for.' Air New Zealand's Mike Williams on how AI can help you travel 'I went to Mangawhai recently, just north of Auckland and said, 'look, I'm gonna be there for three days, I'm going with the kids and my wife, and we are kind of keen on doing some hiking or some slightly adventurous thing. What could we do?' 'And it gave a three-day itinerary. Basically morning, afternoon, evening, do this. I did it basically, exactly as it was said, and it was perfect. " Every time we travel, especially overseas, there's the amount of time that we spend planning, and then there's the amount of time that we spend experiencing and enjoying, and I think we'll decrease the amount of time that we need to put into the logistics." Celebrity chef Peta Mathias on top culinary destinations " The best food is in the home of a taxi driver who picks you up from the airport. So you get yourself really friendly with him, and he'll usually say, my wife's a really good cook, why don't you come to our place for dinner? Advertisement Advertise with NZME. 'Say yes, even though she'll probably curse him. Because A, you get into a family home, and B, you get real home cooking, which is great. It depends on the country, you know, like Morocco, home cooking is better than restaurant cooking, I would say. France, fabulous restaurants.' Travel blogger Megan Singleton on the best places for multi-stop holidays Singapore: 'These 24 or 48-hour bus tickets kind of serve as your Uber, because you can do the first loop just to get your bearings. And then the second time, or the next day even, you'd use it again and this time you hop off at the Gardens by the Bay or the Botanicals or wherever you want to stop and then jump on again when you're done.' Dubai: 'On the way back, we had three nights and we chose a resort with pools ... and then there's malls as well, and you've got the camel riding and the dune bashing and the Bedouin experiences if you want to go out. 'So it's definitely worth talking to your travel agent if you are heading to Europe for any reason and looking at all your airline options, whether there is a deal on any of the airlines, particularly to stop over.'
Time Out
26-05-2025
- Time Out
The best solo travel destinations in Asia
For a different mode of travel Take it up a notch and explore Mongolia's vast and picturesque landscapes by train. We recommend an 11-day bullet train tour that starts in Beijing, China, and ends in Ulaanbaatar. What to do The Trans-Mongolian railway journey by Intrepid Travel takes you from China's Inner Mongolia region, following the ancient path of tea caravans through to Mongolia's capital of Ulaanbaatar. Set to start in June 2025, it passes mesmerising sites like the unique Asihatu Stone Forest and the Hunshandake Sandy Land in the China portion of the journey, then the Khamriin Monastery in Sainshand and the steppes of Khustai National Park. Spend a day with a family of herders and end the railway journey in Ulaanbaatar by staying in a traditional yurt. If you prefer a shorter version of the trip that stays within Mongolia's borders, hop on the regular train service from Ulaanbaatar to Zamiin-Uud and Erenhot. The journey takes about two days, and you will cross the steppes and the Gobi Desert, all great landscapes to view. Where to stay Stay in one of Ulaanbaatar's newest five-star hotels, The Corporate Hotel and Convention Centre, located near the iconic must-visit Sukhbaatar Square. Also consider Zuut Hotel, situated close to the capital's State Opera and Ballet Academic Theatre, where you can catch world-class performances of traditional Mongolian music and dance. Where to eat Located at the Shangri-La Hotel, Naadam is a great bar and restaurant that serves cocktails, international meals, and vegetarian options. Another safe bet is Modern Nomads, an established chain of restaurants serving Mongolian cuisine.
Skift
21-05-2025
- Business
- Skift
Announcing the First Round of Speakers for This Year's Skift Global Forum
The first round of speakers for Skift Global Forum have been announced, featuring top leaders from Booking Holdings, Royal Caribbean, IHG, Certares, Air India, Sensei, Six Senses, Revolution LLC, and Intrepid Travel. These industry visionaries will explore the future of travel across innovation, investment, and sustainability. The travel industry's most anticipated event is back — and bigger than ever. Skift Global Forum returns with a powerful lineup of first-round speakers, bringing together the trailblazers shaping the future of travel. We're thrilled to announce a stellar roster of industry leaders who will take the stage in New York City this September. These visionaries represent the most influential companies across travel, hospitality, aviation, investment, and wellness. They'll be diving deep into the strategies, challenges, and innovations driving their brands and the industry forward. Meet the First Confirmed Speakers Glenn Fogel CEO & President Booking Holdings Jason Liberty President and CEO Royal Caribbean Group Elie Maalouf CEO IHG Hotels & Resorts Greg O'Hara Founder and Senior Managing Director Certares Campbell Wilson CEO and Managing Director Air India Alexandra Walterspiel President & CEO Sensei Neil Jacobs CEO Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas Steve Case Chairman and CEO Revolution LLC James Thornton CEO Intrepid Travel These are just the first of many thought leaders who will bring rich dialogue and bold ideas to the Skift Global Forum stage. With themes spanning innovation, investment, transformation, and human-centered travel, this year's event promises to spark the conversations that will define the next chapter of global travel. Stay tuned — more speakers and sessions will be announced soon. Until then, register now to secure your spot at the most forward-looking event in travel.
