Intrepid’s journey towards reaching its goal was backed by fully acquiring Haka Tours and ANZ Nature Tours earlier this month.
In fact, the brand actually took majority share in both the NZ businesses in 2021, with plans to increase investment to 100% by 2025.
“At the time, it was our biggest acquisition since the pandemic and a key move in strengthening our operational presence,” Managing Director Brett Mitchell reflected in an interview with travelBulletin.
“The partnership allowed us to scale quickly using our global distribution network and respond to the sharp recovery in international tourism.”
While New Zealand may be a smaller market compared to others that Intrepid operates in, Mitchell is confident of the untapped opportunities that lie ahead.
“Kiwis love to travel and New Zealand remains a highly sought-after destination globally. New Zealand is one of our highest-performing markets per capita, and one of the most aspirational destinations globally,” he said, adding that globally, bookings to New Zealand are up 80% year-on-year.
Small group tours are at the heart of the Intrepid business all around the world and will remain core to its expansion in New Zealand, where there is also growing demand for active trips, hiking and nature-based experiences.
“While we’ve expanded accommodation offerings elsewhere to support our global growth, in Aotearoa, our priority is strengthening destination management and scaling our tours,” explained Mitchell.
“That said, we’re open to opportunities that align with our values, support local communities and enhance traveller experiences.”
Further deepening their investment into the country, Intrepid also hired its first country manager in the region this month, Simon Mckearney, who was previously Executive General Manager at Helloworld in New Zealand.
Based in Auckland, the role brings together both inbound and outbound operations for the first time under a single leadership position.
Mckearney’s core focus is to grow both inbound and domestic small group travel in the country, by continuing to run Intrepid’s signature trips led by local leaders, while streamlining operations so everything sits under one brand.
“This integration gives us the scale to reach more Kiwis looking to explore their own backyard, as well as more international visitors wanting authentic, locally led experiences in Aotearoa,” he told travelBulletin.
Intrepid’s focus in the country lies in where New Zealand is known to shine – think multi-day hikes, active adventures that connect travellers to land and culture.
Interestingly, New Zealand is also one of the fastest-growing destinations for Kiwis who are keen to explore their own backyards – bookings are up 700% year-on-year.
“Whether it’s a Kiwi exploring their own backyard or an international visitor seeing New Zealand for the first time, the goal is the same – to offer authentic, small group trips that leave a positive impact,” said Mckearney.
As for one day becoming a top three brand in New Zealand, McKearney believes that the magic lies in building trust, recognition and consistency.
“We’re investing in our local presence, we have a team on the ground dedicated to growing both inbound and outbound travel,” he said.
“We’ll focus on continuing to deliver exceptional small group adventures, expanding our active travel offering, and creating meaningful connections with communities and trade partners.”
