Intrepid Travel's 2010 fast movers
4 January, 2010: Intrepid Travel has today released a list of travel hot spots that it believes will set the pace in
terms of popularity in 2010.
Intrepid Travel has analysed its sales from 2009 and has identified that adventures in Borneo, active holidays
in Peru and surprisingly great value North America and Iceland will emerge as the new travel hot spots in 2010.
Best short-haul destination
2009 saw sales to Borneo boom, with the number of passengers on Intrepid Travel's Borneo Family Adventure
more than doubling.
"Asia holds great appeal for Aussies wanting to enjoy an intoxicating mix of wildlife, food, culture and beaches
at a great price. In recent years, Vietnam has eclipsed Thailand as our number one Asian destination but the
big mover in 2009 was Borneo," said Eliza Anderson, spokesperson for Intrepid Travel.
Best long-haul destination
Egypt was the big long-haul mover for Intrepid Travel in 2009. Overall, its sales to Egypt grew by 18% and it
finished the year strong with 47% sales growth in December compared to the same period as last year.
"It seems that Obama's presence in the White House has cooled tensions between the Middle East and the
West. Travellers' disinterest has also cooled and we expect that Egypt, along with Jordan, Syria, Algeria and
Iran, will continue to grow in 2010," said Eliza Anderson.
Best active adventure destination
Trekking was the big active holiday choice in 2009 and Peru was the star performer for Intrepid Travel. More
travellers chose to follow in the footsteps of the Incas and trek to Macchu Pichu than chose to trek in Nepal.
"There is no doubt that Nepal's geography with the soaring Himalayas is spectacular but travellers are showing
a preference for Macchu Pichu. It combines majestic mountains with ancient ruins and active travellers love it,"
said Eliza Anderson.
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Passenger on active adventures to Macchu Pichu grew by 35% in 2009 compared to 3.5% growth in
passengers on active adventures in Nepal.
Best value destination
Economists are predicting the Australian and US dollars will hit parity in 2010. This, coupled with cheap
airfares across the Atlantic, makes it a far more realistic for budget-conscious travellers in 2010.
"If you've ever wanted to go, now is the time. Intrepid Travel's trips make accessing this massive country easy
as we criss-cross the US, experiencing its diversity from awe-inspiring national parks to equally fascinating
cities," said Eliza Anderson
On the flip-side, Iceland is a surprising inclusion in Intrepid Travel's 2010 hot list. With the collapse of its
currency in 2009, travelling to Iceland has become far more affordable.
"Intrepid Travel has a 10-day Iceland adventure that is 22% cheaper in 2010 than it was in 2009," said Eliza
Anderson.
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Media enquiries: Meg Koffel, Intrepid Travel Communications Manager on mkoffel@intrepidtravel.com or 0410
641 010.
About Intrepid Travel Pty. Ltd.
Now in its 21
st
year of operation, Intrepid Travel is one of the world’s leading small group adventure tour operators.
Intrepid takes over 80,000 travellers to over 100 countries worldwide, each and every year. Intrepid trips are designed to
go off the beaten track, meet the locals and travel in an unconventional way, joining locals on their transport, in their
markets and even in their homes. Intrepid employs close to a thousand employees in nearly 20 countries worldwide.
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