INTREPID Travel has wrapped up its Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), which saw it expand the number of First Nations experiences featured on its Australian trips by more than 300%.
After joining the RAP network in 2019, the company has now published its Innovate RAP Progress Report, which covers the two-year period from Jul 2020 to Jul 2022.
The report showed Intrepid’s focus on introducing more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experiences on its Australian itineraries, raising the offering from 12 in 2019 to 50 experiences offered by 41 suppliers by Jun 2022.
For the first time, Intrepid now offers multi-day stays in Aboriginal communities, including on the South Australia Outback Adventure itinerary, which stays at Iga Warta on Adnyamathanha land, and the Eyre Peninsula Adventure tour, which stays at the Scotdesco Aboriginal Community in Bookabie.
“As an Australian founded business, our reconciliation journey continues to be one of the most important experiences in our company’s history – we’re learning every day as we deepen our engagement with First Nations Australians,” said Brett Mitchell, Intrepid’s ANZ Managing Director.
“Our customers have told us that experiencing Aboriginal and Torres Strait cultures on Country is literally changing the way they see the world. And, we’re learning so much as a business through working with more First Nations suppliers.”
“We know we have a long way to go and we’re committed to making that positive change – here and all around the world,” Mitchell added.
The adventure travel company has also forged stronger relationships with First Nations people by providing complete cultural competency training to its tour leaders; a commitment to introduce dual naming for Australian capital cities on its website; offering its team the opportunity to join Aboriginal-led walking tours of virtual tourism experiences; and more.
In 2023, Intrepid will offer more than 100 First Nations experiences in its worldwide collection of trips, in countries including New Zealand, Costa Rica, Mexico, and more, and will also develop its next RAP in consultation with Reconciliation Australia.
