COLOMBO: Intrepid Travel, the world’s largest adventure travel company, successfully hosted its most impactful Global Summit from February 24-27, 2025, in Sri Lanka. The event brought together 200 international team members from over 50 nationalities and 300 local Sri Lankan team members for a week of collaboration, connection, and celebration. Held outside Intrepid’s Melbourne headquarters for only the second time, the summit underscored the significance of its Colombo office, the company’s largest worldwide, which supports both Sri Lanka’s travel operations and global shared services. The event injected over Rs. 50 million into the Sri Lankan economy.
The week culminated in a full-day conference on February 27 at Colombo’s iconic BMICH venue, with over 2,500 additional staff and leaders worldwide joining via livestream and local office events. The summit aligned with Intrepid’s purpose-driven commitments, including fundraising, community engagement, and advocacy for reducing single-use plastics in partnership with the Intrepid Foundation’s local partner, Zero Plastic Movement. A highlight was the unveiling of the “Hello Zero” elephant sculpture, crafted from plastic waste, as a powerful statement on plastic pollution’s impact on Sri Lanka’s cultural heritage and wildlife. The sculpture will be permanently displayed at BMICH’s entrance.
The Summit Day, emceed by top talent Fernando Rodriguez (Peru General Manager) and Pramali Fernando (Sri Lanka-based Destination Product Manager), featured over 45 speakers, including tour leaders, and centered on Intrepid’s new brand positioning. Key announcements included:
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Global Expansion: Intrepid will grow its global presence from 28 to at least 33 country offices within the next 12 months, with further expansions planned for 2027 and 2028.
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Financial Milestones: Chair Darrel Wade announced dividend payments for the second consecutive year, supporting the staff shareholding scheme with 555 staff shareholders across 12 countries, including Sri Lanka. Eligible staff will also receive bonus payments and enhanced bonuses in shares.
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Leadership Development: A new talent development program was introduced to fast-track future leaders.
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Executive Appointment: Hazel McGuire, formerly General Manager of UK Sales and Marketing, was named Intrepid’s first Chief Marketing Officer, tasked with driving the company’s global marketing and growth strategy to become an iconic global brand. This follows the appointment of former Chief Customer Officer Leigh Barnes as President of the Americas.
CEO James Thornton praised the team’s success in meeting all 2024 company goals and outlined ambitious growth plans, with audited results to be published in the annual report later this month. “I’d like to thank our team in Colombo, Sri Lanka for putting on a world-class event. They are such an important part of our company and our customers also love visiting this incredible and vibrant country,” said Thornton.
Intrepid reaffirmed its commitment to Sri Lanka, and will bring over 6500 visitors to Sri Lanka in 2025, a 51% growth from 2024 with ambitious plans to welcome over 15,000 travelers to Sri Lanka by 2030.
