Intrepid makes its fourth acquisition with Jump Out Of Bed (JOOB), owning 60 per cent of the Perth-based travel company that runs trips throughout most of Australia, excluding Australian Capital Territory (ACT).
This is aligned with Intrepid’s aim to increase growth and bolster its global operational capability and DMC network in 26 countries.
Intrepid has grown its Australian range by 45 per cent since 2019 and offers 66 trips across the country (except ACT) with a strong focus on active and outdoor experiences and First Nations inclusions.
The company recently acquired majority stakes in Haka Tours and ANZ Nature Tours in New Zealand and US-based Wildland Trekking as well as investing in CABN, a sustainable accommodation business over the past 12 months.
The addition of JOOB and its three brands – Inspiration Outdoors, Waratah Adventure Tours and Perth’s Sea Kayak Rottnest Island – will inject more than 30 extra tours across Australia.
“We believe adventure, giving back to communities and having some fun along the way are all important and that’s why we’re such a perfect fit for Intrepid,” said JOOB’s CEO Simon Mendelawitz, who will join Intrepid as general manager of its Australian DMC.
Intrepid Travel CEO James Thornton said that while the tour operator has built exceptional global operational capability, an Australian DMC was the missing piece from the strategy.
“JOOB completes the puzzle and I’m delighted to welcome Simon and the JOOB team to Intrepid,” he said.
“Together, we will develop even more exceptional trips for our own customers, taking more travellers to the most remarkable and rugged parts of Australia.”
Japan’s move to allow international travellers in without booking a guided package tour since September 7 has injected fresh optimism in tour operators.
Visitors to Japan now require a local sponsor, such as a travel agency, who can track their whereabouts on any given day.
The move is designed to stimulate greater inbound tourism, whose rebound has been slow since tourists were allowed to return on June 10 after more than two years. Only guided tours have been permitted since then, resulting in about 16,000 tourism arrivals between June 10 and the end of August, according to the Japan Tourism Agency.
Jeff Aasgaard, president of Rediscover Japan and Rediscover Tours, described the move as “a step in the right direction.”
“This is great news for us as a specialist whose business is 80 per cent self-guided tailored travel,” said Simon King, co-founder of InsideJapan, adding that the easing of restrictions “in time for Japan’s peak autumn departures is such a relief for us and all our partners on the ground that rely on our customers’ business”.
Geoff Day, COO of Japan Travel, said the move will be “a boon for travel agencies” as independent travellers will need “to book and plan their travel through an accredited travel agency”.
Still, many agents say tourism rules need to be relaxed further for the industry to see a full recovery.
The September 7 development is “not perfect, but progress,” remarked Aasgaard.