Climate Leadership in Action: Inside Intrepid’s Decarbonization Journey with Dr. Susanne Etti

Start the new year with a clear-eyed plan for transformational travel. In the final episode of our Sustainability Series, we sit down with Dr. Susanne Etti, Intrepid’s Global Environmental Impact Manager, to explore how one of the world’s leading adventure brands is moving sustainability from promises to proof-phasing out offsets, investing directly in decarbonization, and expanding carbon measurement to include the full customer lifecycle, even flights they don’t sell.

Dr. Etti breaks down Intrepid’s three-pillar approach. First: rigorous measurement and transparent reporting that capture everything from on-trip transport and lodging to meals, waste, and now customer air travel. Second: deep decarbonization, including EV adoption for ground transfers, renewable energy across global offices, and itinerary redesigns that remove flights where safe and feasible. Third: climate literacy and advocacy, empowering teams worldwide to understand the data, communicate tradeoffs honestly, and guide travelers with carbon labels and clear storytelling.

For travelers, choosing better is about recognizing the signals that matter: B Corp certification, public impact reports, carbon-label transparency, local leadership on trips, and partnerships that support ecosystems and communities. For operators, the roadmap is practical and actionable, measure accurately, engage suppliers, design lower-carbon products, educate teams, and stay transparent about the challenges. Intrepid’s 2030 goal - an 8% reduction across the full customer journey illustrates what accountability at scale truly looks like.

This episode is a grounded, hopeful blueprint for anyone who wants travel to be both meaningful now and sustainable long into the future.

Thanks to Intrepid for sponsoring this series! 

👉 Listen to Climate Leadership in Action: Inside Intrepid’s Decarbonization Now

🔥 Special Thanks to our Season 6 Title Sponsors for their Support: Holafly, Propellic, PayCompass, Kaptio, Civitatis and WeRoad

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:03

I really believe in sharing of knowledge that's helping others to come along the journey, and you are actually so much more powerful if you walk together.

Sponsors And Sustainability Series Setup

Meet Dr. Susan Ettie

SPEAKER_02 0:18

Hello everyone and happy new year! Welcome to 2026 and welcome back to the Travel Trends Podcast. This is your host, Dan Christian. I hope you had a great break over the holidays and enjoyed some well-deserved downtime with your friends and loved ones and had a bit of time to unwind and prepare for the year ahead. We certainly did and enjoyed the break immensely. We have just one episode coming out this week, but in 2026, every week, we're going to have three episodes. So Tuesdays, we'll have one of our custom series, and right now we're running our travel zoo best bets destinations for 2026, which I hope you're really enjoying. There's 10 episodes, so there's now six more to go. And then every Wednesday, we will have our regular season series. Season seven starts in February, and season eight will start in August. And then every Thursday, we'll be featuring a special spotlight episode. We just launched one with Railbookers just before the holidays that I hope you enjoyed. But going forward, every Thursday, we will have a new spotlight episode in 2026, and we'll tie them all together with a blog post to start each of the week. So we have a lot of exciting plans for 2026, and we have also updated our events section of Traveltrendspodcast.com slash events. You can see all the conferences we're going to be at in 2026, which includes my speaking engagements and where we're going to be recording. So definitely reach out if you're going to be at any of the events so we can try and record with you live. That's one of my favorite things about the Travel Trends Podcast is being at events and being able to record conversations with the many fascinating people that both listen to our podcast but also come together for these conferences. So definitely check that out. And of course, we have our monthly newsletter you can sign up for at traveltrendspodcast.com. And then clips and highlights from all of our shows are always posted on our social channels, which you can find on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. So lots to look forward to in 2026. And I just wanted to say a very special thank you to our friends over at Intrepid. Today's episode actually features Dr. Susan Ettie, who is the Global Environmental Impact Manager at Intrepid. And I intentionally kept this conversation to the third in the series because it really ties everything together for the conversations we've been having around sustainability and its importance to travelers and the global travel community in 2026 and beyond. We started with Shannon Gehan, a dear friend of mine that I worked with for many years at the Travel Corporation. She is the chief sustainability officer, and she really set the stage for the conversation that led to us speaking to Jonathan Coleman, who ran the Untours Foundation as well as Untours, the first B Corp. And that really tied together the overall progress that the industry has made, especially in the realm of group tours and adventure travel, which has been very much leading the way with sustainability. So today's conversation for me really brings it home because I've spent a lot of time in the adventure travel industry. It's a style of travel that I absolutely love. My first small group trip was with Intrepid, and I had the most incredible time, and it really opened my eyes to what I believe will be this year's biggest trend, which is transformational travel. And that is what this style of travel offers, which is why, whether it's young, middle-age, or older travelers, it is not a demographic, it is a psychographic. The type of people that these trips appeal to is very wide and broad because ultimately we're all seeking the same sort of experience from this type of trip. So I encourage you, if you're planning a trip for 2026 for yourself or for your guests, since we have so many amazing travel advisors that listen to this show, I would definitely check out intrepidtravel.com. You can see all of their global trips. And I would also learn more about the Intrepid Foundation, which you're going to hear about in today's conversation. So I just wanted to say a special thanks to the team at Intrepid. Not only do they sponsor the sustainability series in season six, they have actually stepped up and sponsored season seven and season eight of Travel Trends. So for the entire 2026, they are one of our official sponsors. So thank you for your commitment to our podcast and the meaningful conversations we're going to continue to have over the course of the year. And speaking of meaningful conversations, today we have a real highlight to kick off 2026. I was thrilled to meet and speak to Dr. Susan Ettie, and I think you'll see why as we have this conversation and all the amazing insights that she has to share with us and other tour operators for how they can continue to lead the way in sustainability and taking action against climate change. So on that note, thank you again to everyone for listening to our show. Thank you for your support to all of our partners. And I would like now to welcome our very first guest of 2026 and one of our last guests for season six, Dr. Susan Eti, the global impact manager at Intrepid. Susan, welcome to the show. Thanks so much for joining us.

SPEAKER_00 5:04

It's fantastic to be here. Definitely the highlight of the day.

SPEAKER_02 5:07

Oh, that's awesome. That's and it's wonderful because this is our third in our three-part series with our friends over Intrepid. Everyone heard from Shannon in episode one and then Jonathan in episode two. So we've heard from uh TTC and also Untours Foundation, but TreadWright, Untours Foundation, and obviously I'm so keen to have this conversation with you given your background and everything that you're doing at Intrepid. Uh, but first tell everyone where you are today. Where in the world do we find you?

Susan’s Journey From Science To Industry

SPEAKER_00 5:35

Oh, you actually find me at the moment in Germany. So I'm originally German, so you might pick it up for my accent, but there's a bit of British um in there, but also Australian, because I actually live in Australia since 2008. I call actually NAM Melbourne now my home. But I've been very fortunate to um do some traveling in Tanzania, and then it was really kind of a nice add-on to be in Germany.

SPEAKER_02 6:00

For sure. No, both great countries, beautiful countries. Obviously, great to be in Germany and home uh over the holidays. Everyone's gonna be listening to this early in the new year, so everyone's going to be still very much in the spirit, and hopefully, we're gonna inspire people with our conversation today with how they should be mindful of traveling in 2026 and beyond. And obviously, I love Australia, and that's clearly the whole the headquarters for Intrepid in Melbourne. I lived in Melbourne for many years when I worked at Lonely Planet, as many of our listeners know. And clearly, I'm sure you can't wait to get back there given it's the best time of the year to be in Australia.

SPEAKER_00 6:33

Absolutely, and the Australian Open's coming up, but for now I will be really enjoying to have that sort of the winter feeling here in Europe and going skiing. But yeah, up to your right in Melbourne is a fantastic place to be for the summer months, for sure.

SPEAKER_02 6:47

For sure. Well, um, yeah, and of course, that's the beautiful uh way to end January. And I guess let's let's start a little bit with your background, and people heard from the impressive introduction there uh about your journey. But obviously, it'd be great to hear it in your words. So before we get into your role at Intrepid, tell us a little bit about your your background and how you got into the sustainability space.

SPEAKER_00 7:08

Yeah, no, thank you. So, as I mentioned, I'm originally from Germany and I've been interested in the natural world really from a young age. So my childhood holidays were very much driving by train or car to the European Alps, and I spent a lot of time in the Alps either skiing or hiking. But that has definitely influenced sort of my interest into the environment, seeing also how glaciers were seeing already that impact of rising temperatures. So I actually studied biology for master, and in my master and also in my PhD, I looked at how climate change and rising temperatures are impacting public health. So that was very much the academic pathway initially laid out for me. But then I got the opportunity to work with industry and really realized wow, this is actually a great opportunity to work with a range of stakeholders, to work with business like the corporate world, to help them along the kind of sustainability curve and the mature to get more matured and how they are responding. Yeah, so I made a very conscious decision after my PhD to move into industry. And for 12 years I worked for an international sustainability consultancy, and I had the opportunity to work in climate change there and sustainability, and then moved with them from the UK to Australia to Thailand, but eventually I had really fallen in love with Melbourne. Um, being out in nature is just really amazing in Victoria. So I came back to Australia and then seven years ago, exactly pretty much on the day I got that opportunity to join Intrepid Travel.

SPEAKER_02 8:47

Yeah, it's fantastic. And this is where I find it fascinating when you combine the academics with the industry practice. So even hearing from you there, Susanna, about the fact that you wanted to be in industry, because clearly that's where you can have the biggest impact. And I, you know, it one of the things that our listeners heard in the introduction that, you know, you're part of the World Travel and Tourism Council sustainability task force, you're uh a board trustee with the Travel Foundation, you're very active in the industry, but clearly you have uh a very important role at Intrepid, and that's one of the reasons that you know I was really keen to have this conversation with you. And uh, when we were planning out season six of our podcast, we had one episode on sustainability way back in season two. It was one of our most popular episodes we've ever done. We had three individuals on the episode, and Shannon happened to be one of them, which is why I was keen to have her back. But ultimately, this conversation leads to you because when we put this series together, Intrepid kindly offered to sponsor this three-part series, which essentially covers the cost for us producing it and so um and the team that's working on it. And I was delighted that the Intrepid team did, because of all the series to collaborate with us on, sustainability couldn't be more important. And I I really want to uh tie that together for our listeners because they're so keen to know how to choose a travel company. Which company should I be uh traveling with based on what matches my values? And and so let's talk about your role. You're the global environmental impact manager in Intrepid. Tell us about your role and and what it is that you really focus on and do in that role.

Intrepid’s Climate Role And Pillars

SPEAKER_00 10:15

Yeah, no, um, thank you. So, yeah, in a nutshell, it is about climate action. That's within the business, but also within the industry. And you alerted to like my trustee role with the Travel Foundation. But it's really sort of for me, it's kind of three pillars that I'm looking at. One is actually understanding our impact on the environment. So think about the carbon impact that we have through our trips, but also as an operation. As you mentioned, we are headquartered in Melbourne, but we have offices in many other countries around the world. Um, so it's really the impact that we have as a business have, and it is about the reporting side. So that's really kind of understanding how much carbon do we actually produce annually from our offices and from our trips, but also we have entered the accommodation sectors, um, we're doing airport transfers, we're selling flights. So all of that is coming together. And actually, now it's a really busy time for me and my team, the environment team, because um Intrepid reports on the calendar year. So we're basically producing those numbers now for our annual report that as part of our transparency and the commitment to transparency, Intrepid actually publishes annually. So that's a busy time, but I always think it's also a really exciting time to kind of summarize the past year and what you have achieved in the environment performance. Obviously, I speak from the heart of climate action and environment, um, but obviously I need also to give gratitude and call out colleagues in the broader purpose team to work that work in these areas too. The second part is the decarbonization, and that's really the big focus where also climate leadership is really required. So, how do we reduce our impact on the environment? So that's in our operation, but but when I'm honest, a big part of our emissions is the biggest chunk really happens on the customer trip experience. So that's the big part um that our focus on. But again, climate action doesn't sit with me or with our board and our core management team. Climate action sits with everyone in the business. So whether I'm working with the product team or working with marketing, PR, or working with our tech team. And then the third part is the advocacy space. So that could be the climate literacy that um I conduct with teams around the world. And I just last week visited our Nairobi team in Kenya and having that opportunity to be with them to speak to the science, the kind of impacts, but also solutions, really engaging them. And the other part is obviously the external side. So, how do we work more collaborative with the industry? So that's really the three big pillars, and especially in light of our reset in our climate strategy, a huge focus is really now on the decarbonization. We have a dedicated decarbonization fund of um 2 million, which is really around looking at how do we decarbonize our business and across our supply chain. But actually, in our case, as we are asset-light, represent 98% of our total emissions. So it's a big job to work with our supply chain to decarbonize along with us.

SPEAKER_02 13:32

Well, it's really interesting. I mean, and I just want to highlight a couple of the points you just shared there, because over the course of the series, we've been talking about what sustainability means. And clearly, there's various interpretations, there's lots of different language that is used when it comes to this space, whether it be regenerative travel, and it's sometimes difficult for customers to understand what they should be paying attention to. And there's so much ha happening at Intrepid on this topic, and you mentioned any you you clearly outlined kind of like the three major focus areas for you. I just wanted to go back to some of the things that I've understood over Intrepid's history, which you know, we've talked about them being a B Corp, and clearly that's been um they've been carbon neutral since 2010. Um the work that you've done, one of the things that stood out to me though, was the fact that you had become the first and only tour operator in the world with a uh science-based emission reduction target. Tell us what that means specifically, because I think the car the carbon thing is like if you're doing carbon reporting, trying to transition the business to a low-carbon economy. That obviously is incredibly important given climate change and uh the need to produce carbon. But but tell us about that because obviously you guys don't um people typically have to fly to get to their intrepid trip, but you don't control that portion of the experience. But yeah, tell us a little bit about how you approach that.

SPEAKER_00 14:47

No, this is really good, and it's good that you're bringing up because it's built sort of on the previous point on the reset. So, yeah, so 2020, of course, many remember sort of what happened and how the world stopped at the time, but we had actually declared a climate emergency just in January of that year, and part of it was an Is the seven-point action plan, and that included setting an emission reduction target based on science. And we were indeed at the time the first two operator. Um, I'm very proud how many others have over the time. And I also recognize the importance of measurement reporting and also kind of setting near-term or longer-term targets because that's really important. Because once you set like a five to ten year target into the future, you have a North Star as a business, how much and how quickly you need to reduce your emissions. But what is really important um also for full transparency, earlier, um earlier this year, actually in October, so it's two months ago, we published a reset to our climate strategy. And it's basically three parts. One is that we're retiring our carbon offset program. So you did mention, and it is very notable that Intrepid did start measuring back in 2010, which I find um definitely draw me to Intrepid. When I applied seven years ago, I'm going like, wow, they thought about this already in the industry and as a business to offset 100% of their unavoidable emissions. But we're facing out this program and basically rechanneling that money now into this decarbonization fund of 2 million, which is about direct decarbonization within and across our supply chain. And the other aspect, and you spoke to the aspect of customer flights, when we initially set the target five years ago, we looked at all the emissions that we can control so that are within our control. Think about when we own vehicles and we are asset-light. But if you think of in certain cases, like in Kenya, we do have a fleet of trucks and jeeps, for example, for safaris. Think about the offices around the world that are purchasing electricity to run and um team members commuting to the office, the business flights, and then obviously whatever happens within our trip. But on the trip side, we always kind of covering, or you have to date looked at the transportation within a trip. So think about a plane ticket plane if it is, but it could be also the truck, the Jeep, the train. It's about the accommodation that our customers are staying, the meals that and the activities, the waste created, and an uplift factor of 15%. But we realized that we actually weren't addressing the big elephant in the room, which is the customer flight. In certain cases, customers book their flight through us, but in the majority they don't. And that's the major reset that we have now since October, that we now have a customer lifecycle target. So we're not just looking reducing the emissions from our trip, but we're looking at the full life cycle. So that includes you based in Canada, how you, if you were thinking about um coming to Australia to do a trip there, your flight um to out to Australia, then the trip itself, where we have calculated the emission, and then making also assumption on your flight home. So this is the new reset for us, and that's I think is really important that we are kind of taking accountability for the whole impact that a customer has in order to experience a trip with us.

SPEAKER_01 18:31

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Practical Decarbonization Playbook

SPEAKER_02 20:53

And now back to the show. One other thing I wanted to ask you along the same lines, and it's uh it's intended to be a uh uh kind of a uh a bigger question here because I think you have a unique role in the industry and uh especially given your background. So when you uh uh studied biology and you're focused on STEM, and I love the fact that obviously you you're a woman in that field because my daughter's in her first-year university and she's also in STEM. Well, exactly. She loves biology, and now she's thinking about doing neuroscience, and I'm just like, oh my god, like I'm just like I'm so excited for her because she's fine, you know, she's she's so intellectually stimulated at university, and she's trying to figure out which ones to do. And I see someone like you that, you know, you're one of the top 100 uh female executives in the world in this space, and it's like, you know, you've accomplished so much. But uh and so that's why I want to ask you kind of a bigger question on this topic, because you clearly had a passion for science. I was reading the article that uh was uh on adventure.com about um how science opened the door for you on finding your calling. And it's a great article. I encourage everyone to go and uh and read this. And um and so when I was preparing for our conversation, understanding your background growing up in Germany and seeing glaciers and kind of and knowing how important nature was, um, and then you go to a country like Australia and you see climate change there as well as like the the the the globe warming. And so you have this you know genuine passion, and then you study, you do your master's and your PhD, and you're starting to understand how changing climates are affecting everything from like infectious diseases and like and so and then you start working in industry. And I think this is where like when you start off, like any of us, especially at that age when you are you know optimistic about the world, and like and then you come to the harsh reality of like, wait a second, this is how business works. And so this is the question I'm really keen to ask you is that you know, when you uh have this knowledge and understanding, you come into a company like Intrepid and you you you understand what needs to be done, how do you actually prioritize it? Because you're then trying to figure out, okay, this is how this company works, how I know, I know what's needed from a science point of view, but how how do you start to put in place the projects you're gonna work on, the overall plan that ultimately is gonna have a meaningful impact? So, yeah, take take us on that journey because I'm really keen to know um, you know, you've been there for seven years, you you started one role, you've continued to elevate. So, how do you how do you put it into action at a company like Intrepid?

SPEAKER_00 23:20

No, it's very good. I think for those that may be calling in that also have a STEM background, it is definitely and also for others, it's it's also a learning curve to enter industry. Like being in academia, you have time for blue sky thinking. There's also the kind of reliance on grants and publications, but you have the time to really, you have more time available. And that's I think is the big shift that I also had to learn. So I do want also to acknowledge that that it was also first a learning process to work in industry and looking through things through the business lens. That's what really counts. But I'm finding the balance in Intrepid, bringing the business lens that I learned over the years to apply more and more, but then also speaking from the heart. I think that's really that passion. And the big reason why I joined Intrepid was really driven by being a B Cop, looking at seeing the commitment from the board level through our co-founder, Daryl White, um, on climate action, because Intrepid's climate journey did not just recently become a hot topic or topic of interest, they actually started their journey well back in 2005-2006 already, when they read a book, The Weathermaker, by Professor Dr. Tim Flinnery. So that was definitely helping because when you work in a business that generally knows that climate change will impact people and destination and is a threat to business, that's already a great starting point to have those conversations. So I think I really like business strategies, projects do come from the heart. It's speaking to really, yeah, speaking from the heart, bringing in your feelings, but it's also for me that important part is that climate action has to have more or left. Obviously, it's that cut you have to have the governance strategy, the climate strategy, and that's why I'm so proud that we got the climate strategy signed off by the board and endorsed. But now the work is about that everyone in the business, every team member, whether it's our Istanbul office, is it over in Toronto, everyone needs to know and they want to know because they want to be part of this. Because I think that's the important part. When you work in this space, for me, it's kind of seeing the light bulb going off with someone that may be sitting in the sales team going, oh, I can actually tell a different story why it's so important to connect with nature. Um, to be able to talk to the carbon labels that we have now published on the website to educate, to inform climate-conscious customers. So, yeah, the work is really kind of business lens that was matters, but it's also speaking to the heart to ensure we bring everyone on the journey because for the decarbonization, we have to have the product experience team on the journey. I will lie also on our marketing PR comms. They're telling the story. The people behind adventure.com, these are the ones that bring it to life and connect deeply to people's feeling why we need to care for this planet for my and why Mother Nature really needs their daughters. Yep.

Biodiversity And Nature-Based Tourism

SPEAKER_02 26:37

Absolutely, yeah. And one of the things I want to ask in a moment is about the how you track how you track it and this the success metrics. But I but before we do, one of the things I also want to highlight, and I'd love for you to be able to share for our global listeners, is some of the challenges in implementing. So you obviously, you know, as you said, you go from the blue sky thinking into industry, you have to find a way to make it work inside an organization. You've got the commitment from Daryl Wade and the business. I still remember my wife read that, but we were living in Australia when um the Weathermakers came out, and I was working at Lonely Planet at the time. And so I and that was that time when I think a lot of us were more optimistic at that. You know, that's this is this is also when you know Al Gore had an inconvenient truth and it felt like you know we were moving in the right direction, and clearly 20 years has has come and gone. And I think all of us, and I mean obviously I don't want to uh speak for you, but um certainly a lot more uh could have and should have been done and should still be done. So we're you know we're nowhere near where we need to be when they rang the alarm bells. And so uh but so you've got the buy-in of the board and the team, but of you've got the buy-in of the board and the executive team. Um but in terms of being able to implement it across the organization, I'd love for you to be able to share some of the challenges that you face in implementing these climate change initiatives. And the reason that's really important for me and I think our listeners is because uh Shannon and I shared the same space at the travel corporation. I was heading up digital globally. I had my own challenges trying to get everyone to embrace the digital transformation. And she had her own challenges. She often came to my office and we would talk about how we could overcome some of the regional challenges and some of the brands who are pushing back against things because the reality is change is always hard and not everyone's always on board, and some people um it takes a little bit longer to get the message. So, how how have you approached that? Because it seems like Intrepid, the people who are attracted to it, like you were originally, are already um uh genuinely interested in the subject matter. But yeah, how how have you made sure that it has become top of mind for everyone, as you said, throughout the business to take to own this?

Community Partnerships That Protect Wildlife

Visible Industry Shifts And Milestones

SPEAKER_00 28:38

Yeah, no, it's really good. And I think you actually spoke to the point it's a people change, it is sustainability is about people and it's behavior change. So, one thing, the other thing you mentioned, Al Gore. So I was actually fortunately back in 2011 to be trained by him as part of the climate reality project. So I have worked with him now for the which is soon 15 years. So I use that learning and the updated version of the inconvenient truth to actually engage our staff across all um levels. And whenever I get a chance to go to an actual office, like what I did um earlier this month in Nairobi, but mostly I do it virtually because I'm also very conscious, like only if I'm in the region that I do it in person. But that's a really powerful tool for me, the climate literacy, to actually bring in the context what are the science, what are the impacts, and why does climate change matter so much for tourism? Because as an industry, we are contributing 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. So it is actually quite a decent amount, and a lot of what makes it up is the burning of fossil fuels in our industry because of aviation, ground transport, etc. So that's the first entry space to bring people onto that journey. Um, to kind of obviously, and you're up to spot on the last 20 years when I think when I was doing my master and PhD, public health and climate change was a bit like, why are you focusing on malaria in Europe? Um you're doing definitely a bit of a, I don't know, very interesting topic, no future there. And nowadays, obviously, we have kind of infectious diseases like dengue fever well established in Europe, and it is public health is also a risk for tourism, like from heat waves that we're seeing, not being able to do activity holidays. So that's definitely a challenge to kind of see okay, the product is changing. Like, how do we bring product experience team on the journey to think about more different product development, like the lower carbon, where can we remove flights where possible, where safety allows it, or is it about focusing more on cooler vacations like Scandinavia? But the biggest challenge really that's sort of the kind of journey of the last seven years to really make sure that climate action doesn't sit just with management or me, that everyone can come with the idea and everyone is being hurt because, as you said, there is a lot of challenges, and the biggest one is obviously anywhere where the burning of fossil fuels is involved, which is transportation. So, in theory, easy look at flights, but travel over all, we make people travel. Um, and that's also reflected now in our new customer lifecycle target that we're accounting for those flights, and that's definitely the challenge. There's a data point, which is just for those listeners that are very detailed and data driven. Yeah, you need good data to account for the flight emissions, but then also the challenge that the aviation industry is not moving as fast as we like to see. The adoption of sustainable aviation fuel or mandates by countries. The other big challenge also linked to transportation is the ground transport. So, in cases we're using trucks or um minivans like 15 seaters, or is it Jeeps if you think about a game drive in the Sierra and Geti? We're definitely seeing an uptake of EVs for airport transfers because that's your standard kind of passenger cars, traditional will be internal combustion cars. That's really straightforward, and we're definitely increasing our coverage, which is really exciting, either by purchasing our own or in most cases working with our suppliers. So helping our suppliers onto that journey. Um, but what I want to see and where my dream is, what if we can actually see a whole tour in a minivan where we can do this kind of wrist vans that are electric, and that's a big challenge, and that's not Intrepid Alone, that's across the industry. Um, we're seeing sort of the examples popping up, but we need all of us, and that's where I think the advocacy across the industry is, and where our focus a lot is how do we work collaborative and see it as a joint challenge to get a seat at the table with aviation, with the manufacturing industry, to say, okay, this is what our industry needs. And then the other challenge has to do overall with our supply chain. So we are an asset-like business, that means we don't own a lot of vehicles. So, and when you're asset-like, that means you actually have a much bigger supply chain, and that's where most of basically our trip emissions sit. So, in total of our total footprint, um, and the final numbers for 25 will be out um early next year, but they sit around the 95-98%. So we need to work with our suppliers. So, with the accommodation sector, is like it's now the step to engage our top suppliers to say, okay, can you start your own climate journey? Can you start measuring? Because once we understand where your impact is, then we can work together to help you to decarbonize your business. So it's a really joint effort. It's not to be competitive, but actually, how can we bring everyone onto that journey? So everyone, the places and the people benefit from those actions.

SPEAKER_02 34:18

So one of the things I just want to highlight to our listeners that in a moment, one of the things that I really want to get into with Suzanne is also biodiversity, especially given your background and how biodiversity fits in. Because and the reason I highlight that now is because as soon as we start talking about carbon or and I think this is where travelers sometimes they feel like they're being shamed or they feel like they're like, well, how do I get there then? You know, if I can't get on a plane, how do I get to the destination? It's like there's no other option. And so then obviously there's carbon offsets, there's things you can do. And just talking about both of our backgrounds, when I was at Lonely Planet, that was the first time I experienced an organization that was doing carbon offsets and they were carbon neutral. And so I had to make sure I was tracking my flights. And this is going back like you know, nearly 20 years. And um, and and but it's it's just it what seemed like it was going to become commonplace has just totally fallen away. And that's part of the the uh the frustration I find in having conversations about sustainability, and I can only imagine what it's like in your role. So the reason I want to highlight to our listeners is because when it comes to carbon, um, and please feel free to correct me on this, but my uh take on this when I think about travelers is that because there's not the immediacy and the impact of, you know, uh they don't necessarily, and myself included, when you take that flight or you do something that is um uh more carbon polluting, you don't see the immediate negative impacts of that. Whereas, you know, when you look at biodiversity and you see the impact on natural habitats and animals that are all of a sudden forced out of their um natural place and you see some species that are all of a sudden now endangered and it's like it all ties back to um to climate change. So uh the reason I want to highlight that is I really want to talk to you about biodiversity and how that fits. But but before we do, let's finish on the talk topic of carbon, because uh saying you're a real expert in this space is is one thing, but um you know people should know that you've written a book on the 10-step guide to decarbonize your travel business, uh the carbon measurement blueprint for tour operators. So exactly what you're talking about now, you have made that information available to others. So I would really like, if you wouldn't mind sharing with us, some of the key takeaways from that, so that as we think about carbon and lowering carbon, and I guess what I'd love for you to answer is like please give some practical suggestions for how companies should approach it and also how they should track it.

Trends Shaping 2026 Sustainability

SPEAKER_00 36:34

Yep, no, that's really good. Yeah, so this is also the wonder of working with Intrepid is that openness and willingness for knowledge sharing, which is really wonderful coming out of academia, where it's a lot more kind of holding back knowledge and only through peer review papers, that we were able to do this open sourcing our methodology. Yeah, so the first one was during actually during the pandemic was the 10-step guide, and that was really like a document really helping business to start their own climate journey. And I think the big things that I want to mention is like if you're listening to this podcast, you're already taking the first step because you were curious, you wanted to know a bit more about our climate journey. It's about don't walk alone. I think that's the big thing. I'm always willing for climate coffee. So if you are in a business you want to start, reach out on LinkedIn. Let's have a climate coffee together. Because I I really believe in sharing of knowledge, um, that's helping others to come along the journey, and you're actually so much more powerful if you walk together. So don't work in isolation, bring allies on. If you need to work through with your board, and maybe they're not yet on the journey. What about bringing experts in to help bringing it to life why it matters? I think the reporting or the measurement is the really important part. Um, you need to understand what your impact is. Obviously, there's also a limit how detailed you want, and we have definitely seen that with our trip emission model. Um, we have gone into a lot of detail, but then also agreed that we would add a 15% uplift factor because we recognize that where we are in the climate crisis, um, we might have intentionally or unintentionally missed something. So you add an uplift factor. But once you measure and having that level of granularity, in the case of a tour operator, you really can then kind of start to very pinpoint okay, where do we want to make changes in our product? And the other thing is also just to be transparent in what you do, not just adding claims to your website. Um, research shows that customers are more likely to book with companies that are kind of doing the right thing, but also are transparent, and that's not all about just telling the success story, it's also key to talk to things that are challenging, like and it's difficult, because that's what makes a company also human and real, and that's I think is a really important part. Yeah, and the other guides that I've done is for those that are further down on the road, um, those that want to understand how to set an emission reduction target, for example, how to set to develop a carbon label, which is similar to a nutrition label, so it gives customers the information on how much carbon is emitted per customer per day in kilogram, and that makes it also very clear then if you go on a more active holiday, if you do trans hiking in Bhutan, it's about I think just about 13 kilograms of carbon per day. But you obviously have also to recognize it's a long haul flight to get there. So if you did the similar hiking trip in Canada, the impact would be a much smaller because you're doing a short haul flight only.

SPEAKER_01 40:00

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SPEAKER_02 42:31

And now back to the show. So how does biodiversity fit into the Intrepid's broader sustainability strategy? And tell us about some of the projects or initiatives that you have taken to protect or enhance biodiversity in the various regions you operate.

SPEAKER_00 42:49

Yeah, no, um definitely very close to my heart too. And I feel like we often speak about the climate crisis, but we're like that's the one, but we're actually also in a biodiversity crisis, considering how many of land-based species we will lose in our lifetime. Um, seeing sort of how nature is impacted by rising temperatures, droughts, flooding, etc., but also knowing that healthy ecosystems are a major part of climate action because it can draw down carbon if you think about mangroves, for example. And it's so much better to protect and protect forests and restore because it is capturing so much carbon and it's so much richer. And definitely, like I during my biology study, I did field work in the um lowland tropical forests in Ecuador, and just that experience to see rainforests and the colors, the voice, the calls of birds, and just that magic has always stayed with me. And that's where I think is also where um I think the importance for business like ours is how do we connect our customers to nature. So the big part is really kind of um that we are doing a lot of nature-based tourism. So we have now over 900 experiences, and that's across 100 countries, and they bringing it, bringing people a lot closer to nature while they're kind of um while they are also while they're out in nature, it's really also experience the local guides connecting to nature, and that also then benefits again the local economy, and that's I think it's really exciting how we're seeing real uptake by customers to be more connected with nature. Um, there's the benefits of being in nature to kind of slow down. It's good for your health, uh, mental health and also physical health, but yeah, it's really exciting that we're seeing that higher demand in nature-based tourism, and most of all, that we are now 60% of our trips actually globally annually are visiting now protected areas, and that's about 140 national parks. And I just returned um from Serengeti, and that's just seeing it coming to life and seeing the reaction in people experience the wonder of nature. It's just so important as part of that connecting people back to nature and why it's so important that we need to really support and look after Mother Nature.

Intrepid’s 2030 Climate Goals

SPEAKER_02 45:34

So, one of the things I was keen to ask you when you're implementing these initiatives and working with local communities or even governments for that matter, because obviously that can be even more challenging. Um, how are you seeing that change? And what I what I'm asking, I guess, is you know, my take is that a lot of these local communities are looking for this and they're they're they they and they have this already sort of built into the to the way that they already function and operate in their some of their cultures. And so the fact you're able to almost reveal that and showcase what is happening in like the Amazon, for example. And but tell us a little bit how you how you actually work with local communities and governments where necessary to ensure some of these biodiversity efforts are um sustainable and impactful.

How To Connect And What’s Next

SPEAKER_00 46:19

Yeah, no, I think it is really important with Intrepid being purpose-led, it really comes through how we um develop the product, but then also connecting with place and the people and communities. Um, to think about um that uh like 84% of our suppliers are actually locally, they have locally owned business. So you can also ensure that the economic benefits is really locally. But then we in Intrepid have also the non-for-profit organization, the Intrepid Foundation, um, that also has various environmental projects where they're getting involved. But one example or two actually that I was thinking might resonate with you and would be interesting to speak more about it, because one is um is around in South Africa, which is actually around wildlife protection, because it is also like how do we protect those iconic um species in countries. So we're working there, and that's actually done through the Intrepid Foundation, where we are partnering. So that's also I think the power of partnering with the right partners that align with our values, but that's an organization that actually helps um helping rhinos, connecting travelers. Well, not um helping, yeah, it's an organization, it's about helping rhinos, but it is about connecting our travelers to an organization called the Black Mumbers. Um that's the first all-female anti-poaching organization in South Africa. And on a trip, when you do um visit the Victoria Falls, you actually get an opportunity on that trip to meet those women on a bushwalk and really say, see actually firsthand what is nature-based tourism, but also that importance of protecting those species, what role they have in the ecosystem, and the importance that we need to protect endangered species, and that like having organizations like this are really elevating that work and the importance. The other example is actually relating um more to single-use plastic, which is also a huge issue. Um, one from a climate perspective, considering um the growth in petrochemical industry and how plastic stays with us for decades and hundreds of years, but then also from a biodiversity nature perspective, the impact it has on destination. And one um work that we are doing is around keeping nature pristine in Nepal, especially on those really popular hiking trails. So we are actually offering our customers to participate in this process. So we have partnered with an organization called Cleanup Nepal to bring down plastic waste down to Kathmandu so it can be properly um recycled, sorted, recycled, etc. But it's kind of helping that organization to do cleanup events, but also kind of offering it to customers they like to involve to actually bring a kilo of that waste down as part of the return track, um, so that we are kind of over time removing plastic from the environment. Because often, especially in in wild areas, animals do not distinguish whether it's something you can or eat or not eat. So the more we remove that plastic, so the plastic also doesn't break down, goes into the food chain, is a really important project over in Nepal.

SPEAKER_02 49:57

Well, and I think as we talk about biodiversity, because this is where when you uh only 20 years ago, um, when we first traveled to Thailand, there was still uh people riding on elephants, right? That's probably one of the most and given the history of um Intrepid in the region Southeast Asia, I mean you see how much Southeast Asia has changed over that time. And obviously that is uh you know, nobody should be uh riding elephants or and and um and but the reality was at the time it was one of those exotic things get a picture of sitting on top of an elephant, um, or even just interacting with exotic animals that were uh you know being mistreated. And so we see that now as wrong, like it's now you're kind of shocking, and it's it no longer has the uh the cachet that it once did for all the right reasons because people are horrified to see other people um glorifying animals that are in those conditions. So thankfully that has evolved and changed. Uh and I think everyone has their story. I certainly like it, you know, when you speak to someone um like Celine Cousteau, who talks about the fact that turtles with plastic straws in their nose, that that picture that became that went viral, that was just like you know, getting rid of plastic straws, and you know, but it takes a moment like that. And if you know, when I was in the Galapagos and saw a sea turtle swimming for the first time, it was so majestic. Like it was just like in the these moments that hit you as a traveler in a destination when you you make that connection for yourself and all of a sudden you take interest, you care, and and you're gonna take action. What has been one of those for you over your journey where, you know, given you've got such an important global role, but I'm sure you're starting you've been seeing over the last seven years some of these things um uh transition. So, yeah, what will be one of the other big standouts for you that you're like, oh man, this feels good. We're on the right path.

SPEAKER_00 51:40

We're on the right path. I think it's just going back in time, and you touched already on the elephant riding, is obviously the work that Intrepid and people well before me did in that space to stop um the riding of elephants. And I think just seeing that movement in the industry, I think that's just definitely I still always will look back on this and say, wow. I think now in the seven years, it's it's just that increasing commitment to climate action. Like as I said, Interpret has been committed to climate action for many, like two decades now. We were being the decision was made to measure back in 2010, but then also to say, hey, we need to do more, we need actually to kind of do a near-term target, we can't just go one year by year, and then I think it's now that evolution to say, hey, we need actually to address the elephant in the room, we need to look at the customer flights, and it doesn't anymore depend whether we have responsibility, is it in our boundary, yes or no? Like, yes, from a like zero perspective, we only need to account for the the flights that we sell, but to actually take that step now and to say, yep, we actually will bring this into our responsibility, we will be measuring it, we will get better year to year on how we measure, but we set actually an emission reduction target on it. That's I think is for me that's sort of the next step. And the other aspect is just seeing the transformation, like to getting more people behind it, getting people now all going like, hey, yeah, I have an idea. I want to work with this supplier. I have that bring that supplier onto that journey. Um, and then just seeing the wider industry from where we started with tourism declares back in January 2020, that that has become then the Glasgow Declaration of Climate Action and Tourism. And just seeing even we just had um two weeks ago, three weeks ago, um, the global climate conference in Berlin came to an end. But we actually had a tourism tourism day for the second time. And that's massive when you think COP has gone on. We were at COP30 now. This is now the second time around. We had a tourism day and we had a virtual event to bring in the global south. So these are sort of where I think I definitely look back on highlights internal, but also in the wider industry.

SPEAKER_02 54:07

For sure. And I know we've mentioned Daryl Wade, of course, is uh one of the co-founders of Intrepid, and he is, you know, he was the former WTTC chair of sustainability. He's a big champion of the COP stages, if you highlighted. And I think this is where, you know, when you've got a strong advocate uh like him, you know, ownership in the business that are, you know, completely bought in and committed to this, um, and then having someone like you in the business to be able to action all of this to be able to track it. I want to make sure that we do share some of these best practices and also one of uh some of the big trends for 2026 and beyond. So there's a couple more questions I had for you on this topic because there's so much to discuss here. Um but let's talk a little bit more first about the trends and then some of the actions you'd encourage travelers and other industry players to take. So as we've talked about carbon, and obviously it all comes back to that clearly, so much of it does. Um but when you look at 2026 and beyond, and you think about government initiatives around the world, like these cop conferences that are happening, and again, you know, you hear the frustration there, unfortunately, where you know, one step forward, two steps back, and and um and so when when you're looking at the big trends in sustainability, what are you paying attention to that uh is you know that governments are focused on, that that people seem to be um taking more action around? Um what what are some of those things in the in the broader space that you're because clearly you're very well read and you're uh very well traveled, and so you know you see and hear a lot of different things. So yeah, what do you think sustainability looks like in 2026 and beyond?

SPEAKER_00 55:38

Yeah, coming out of the climate conference, and you're absolutely right, um, it was there was definitely frustration. But I also look at it that for the first time, considering all the geopolitical challenges that are happening right now in the different crises, health, sustainability, climate, nature crisis, for the first time actually, industry, civil society came really together and they are moving fast because even 10 years on now from the Paris Agreement, we're seeing the prices of solar going down, of wind, the demand is growing. Um, we're seeing the uptake in EVs, um, battery cost and the capacity is growing. So it is happening, but we need to move faster. And I think that's really that kind of that momentum to take into 26. I think that the industry is coming, us specifically, the travel and tourism industry coming more together is massive. That we came together at a tourism day in Bilem, but for those that didn't travel, included with myself, was to come together on a virtual event so that we're recognizing that power of leadership, of walking together and uplifting others. So for businesses, it's really said earlier, is it is about starting now. You're listening into this, like reach out to people in the industry in your network, learn from each other, and it's about starting maybe first small, but then about scaling. There's definitely that importance of measurement that what matters because governments are also stepping up depending on which jurisdiction you are in. There are much more requirements. So it's always easier when you start when the pressure is not yet there, rather than waiting, they waiting and just let's see when it all happens. Better start now small. So when it becomes mandatory and you fall under mandatory reporting, you're well equipped already. It's also about seeking help, don't solve it all alone. I also recognize we're very I'm fortunate to have this role full-time in a global context, but not every company can and has a big sustainability team or dedicated climate person. So also seek help, speak with others, find out who are the ones to go to that are supportive. There's some really good colleagues in the industry that are very good in the climate action space. So reach out to those, get them on board, learn from experience of others. Um, don't reinvent the wheel. And I think it's also like as you develop business strategies, sustainability and specifically in my case, climate needs to be part of your strategy. It cannot sit on the side. Your younger staff also want to see that. Like I think, especially when you think of Generation Za, like people want to work for purpose-led businesses, they want to know what their role has to do with sustainability or specifically with climate. And that's also, I think, a big retention part for people to stay with companies that truly act on climate. So it is funny, it's really engage everyone. That's your team members across the world, whether they sit in the tech team, because they can work with the big tech companies to get data to be more efficient, but it's also bring your customers on the journey, explain what you're doing, be transparent, tell the stories from the heart, um, listening to what that matters to them. Think about your product range, how can you bring local issues closer to the heart of our of the customers so that they also know why it's so important to matter matters and why it's important to take care of nature. So that's probably the kind of key points that come to my mind.

SPEAKER_02 59:29

Yeah, that's excellent. I mean, that's exactly where I was uh going there. And you've given some great examples of how industry players can certainly learn from Intrepid, taking the lead in this space, but also even the connecting with each other, because one of the things I was going to ask you as far as what resources they should be looking for. I sit on the board of a tour operator in Colombia, and I know they're very much their focus is social impact, but they're a small business, and so they're clearly trying to look for guidance and direction and trying to understand best practices. So learning from each other is a Incredibly important. One other thing I would love to ask you too for travelers, and I did ask uh Jonathan from Untours Foundation this, and it's one of the things I asked Shannon as well. But I think it's really important for us to try and help travelers figure out who they should travel with, because as you mentioned, you know, and and from my perspective, this is going to be the year of transformative travel. And I, you know, this has been building for 15 or 20 years. For us working in this space, that may seem obvious, but for the wider uh audience that is coming into small group travel and this type of you know, you look at the growth of companies in this space and one of the landmark books that will be out shortly from Joe Pine, the uh the gentleman that coined the term the experience economy. He's been on our podcast twice. I'm a huge uh fan of his because I'm, you know, I think there's I was inspired to join the industry because of his work. And he's now about to publish his book that's depending on when you're listening to this, it comes out February 2026 about the transformation economy. And I actually see companies like Intrepid already ahead of the curve on this. Like they've that's this is they've been walking the walk with transformative travel uh for almost their entire existence and leading the way. And so um and the reason I wanted to ask you this specific question is that when customers are trying to make a decision on who they should travel with, more and more companies are trying to extol the virtues of their efforts. Some of it is meaningful, some of it is not. And obviously, I'm not expecting you to be able to wade through all of that. But um but what should what are the signals? What Jonathan said just for context was you know, a B Corp, you know, Intrepid's a B Corp, Entours is a B Corp. So that was his uh response was what you should be looking for is are they a B Corp, first and foremost? Um that should be a signal to you as far as if this is a company you want to work with or do business with or give your travel dollars to. What are some of the other things that travelers should be looking for when they're choosing a travel provider?

SPEAKER_00 1:01:49

Oh, that's really good. I think it's first of all, it's also really, as you said, customers are curious, they are conscious and more and more really want to vote with their dollar. Um, definitely I agree with Jonathan, is around that supporting B Corps. Um, but it's really kind of understanding companies to do maybe also a tiny bit your own homework. It's not maybe straight away to dive into their sustainability report or impact report. Maybe some listeners are curious enough at that level of deepness. But it's um, I think for companies you have to do speak to real impact, not just claims. And that's probably is the challenge for those curious and conscious, but to to kind of look a bit behind if you can and feel interested, um, to look at that. BCOB, I think definitely is I think the way forward. Also to look at companies that work with locally owned businesses where like the business also supports the local guides so that you actually, when you do a trip um kind of in say in Turkey, you actually get someone from Turkey being your leader of that trip. I think that's also something to look out to is this um to operate a supporting locally owned business like the smaller hotels, etc. There's always places also for the big chains, and they're doing a lot in the space around reporting. But when you think about it too, isn't it the beauty when you do meet a local, someone local that leads the group, that knows these kind of cafes on the corner, can tell stories, connects you to the local people, brings that destination to life and those experiences and activities that then you go home and you can kind of say, Oh, do you remember when our tour leader talked showed us this or talked about the way he's living or how he's I don't know, planting the next crop, but you get real insight in the life of someone in that destination. And I think these are probably things that I would look out for.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:57

Good, that's great advice. Now let's look ahead and and and and finish off as we do. I've got a couple last questions for you. And I know I could talk to you for for hours, so I look forward to it's so and I clearly we need to do more on this topic in season seven, season eight, and and um and the great news there is that uh Intrepid's gonna continue to be a a partner of the Travel Trends Podcast through 2026. So I'm thrilled that's the case. I just uh um sharing that now, early highlight for next year. But um uh but when we look at the next five years, I know Intrepid is growing at an incredible pace, and that is really driven by consumer demand. You guys are expanding your global footprint, you are acquiring companies, um, and I know there's sort of a growth target for 2030. But tell us in in terms of sustainability goals, uh, what does that look like for you in the next five years? What are what are some of the big goals you're looking to achieve by 2030?

SPEAKER_00 1:04:56

Yeah, no, really good. And I'm wearing in this context the climate hat. Um, so that's the really um where I want to come from is it's about our new climate strategy. So that's really kind of so we have now an 8% reduction target across our customer lifecycle target for 2030, which we need actually to achieve by the end of 29. And that's basically your five years. So this is really where the focus will be on. Um, we continue obviously on the measurement and reporting side. That's all business as usual, except that um in Australia, and that's maybe to the point of you never know what different jurisdictions come up. Um, we're definitely in Australia now have mandatory reporting in place. So business need to report um on their impact on the environment, also understanding what how the environment is impacting us. So, from a risk perspective, what is your governance and strategy? So that will be a big part as we're moving through more disclosure and also moving from limited to reasonable assurance, but then it's a decarbonization. We have an ambitious target, we have one across um scope one and two. So think about scope one is when you own vehicles and you can kind of um influence the fuel you're using and the electricity that you're purchasing. That will be a big focus, sort of how do we move to EVs, moving our offices onto renewable energy, but then it's really looking at that customer lifecycle target, and it's 8%. So it's a lot of work that we have to achieve. And that's again, really making sure that we engage everyone. So that's for marketing, it's from product perspective, but also kind of that part how do we bring customers, educate them, provide more awareness, why we want to know where they're coming from, so that we get a better understanding and improve further and further our data. So that's really where the big part is, and lastly, where a lot of my passion is, it's kind of how to engage everyone. So that will be continue a focus on within the company, every team member understanding their role and how they can be part and feeling comfortable to come forward with their ideas because they are on the ground, they are in Peru, they know what's happening there, they are kind of the people on the ground knowing, oh, there's something happening in the space, um, maybe with an AV transport, for example, but then it's also across the industry because if we're walking together, I think we can really create great change and make changes, especially around the decarbonization and addressing those challenges together.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:42

For sure. Well, I'm certainly convinced with you being in place there, and now it's uh finally having a chance to meet you because our listeners should know this is the first time we've actually met. I've heard so many amazing things about you. I was so looking forward to this conversation today. And um, it certainly exceeded my expectations, and I'm sure for many of our listeners as well, because you've been so incredibly informative, and uh I've certainly learned a lot, but also I'm convinced that with you in that role, that Intrepid's going to get there and and and hopefully even further in the next uh five years, because it's uh it's important to grow in a sustainable way. And so um obviously that's that's core to the DNA. And I'm excited for all the initiatives you have on, and I'm certainly keen to have you back and and to learn more. But you you had kindly offered to our listeners the climate coffee. So I'm gonna take you up on that in case any of our listeners do want to definitely reach out. What are the what are the best ways to connect with you and also learn more about the initiatives at Intrepid?

SPEAKER_00 1:08:35

Um, best way is for me personally is LinkedIn. So reach out on LinkedIn, let me know that you listen to the podcast. Um that's always makes it easier to make the connection happen, and then we can schedule a virtual coffee. Or if you're Melbourne-based, then definitely I'm welcoming a flat white in Melbourne. And otherwise, yeah, a good one is to look at our annual report. So um, right now you will or will be able to access our 2024 um integrated report, which has the environmental performance included alongside obviously social purpose and finance governance. And as I said, we're right in the middle of this big annual project again. So around, if I get my dates wrong, end of March, beginning of April, the new report is out, which basically looks back at 25. You can find a lot out about our climate work in there. I always publish a standalone document on our climate data and methodology. And this year, for the first time, it will also have the climate risk disclosure. That's definitely obviously focuses on Intrepid, but it's also a freely available document again to share more what we are doing and helping others to start their journey. Yeah. So love to hear from you and yeah, get in touch.

SPEAKER_02 1:09:54

Super inspiring. And yes, I'm sure our listeners will reach out and also find that report. And I certainly look forward to keeping in touch and I wish you and the team every success in 26 and beyond. But and if you're gonna take up a coffee, definitely Melbourne's the place to do it. How incredible the coffee is. So I I look forward to seeing you there at some point in 2026 and having a flat white together. But um, thank you again, Susan, for this.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:17

Thank you so much. And I hope this actually happens that we're meeting in person. That would be absolutely stunning. But I have also a wonderful holiday season.

SPEAKER_02 1:10:25

Thanks so much for joining us on this very first episode of 2026 and one of our final episodes of season six. I just want to say thanks again to Dr. Susan Etty for joining us. She is, of course, the global environmental impact manager Intrepid, but she's actually just about to receive a major promotion and very well deserved, as you have gotten a sense from today's conversation about all she has accomplished. So, congratulations to you and for any of our listeners that want to find out more information about that development, as well as to book trips for yourself or for your clients, and to learn more about the Intrepid Foundation, check out IntrepidTravel.com. And I also just wanted to say a special thank you to the Intrepid team, not only for sponsoring this sustainability series and enabling us to have these meaningful conversations that you heard today, but also for sponsoring season seven and season eight of the Travel Trends Podcast. So through 2026, Intrepid will continue to be an official partner. And I'm just thrilled because it enables us to have continue to support the team and have these types of conversations. So a huge thank you to the team over at Intrepid for sponsoring the Travel Trends Podcast. And we are actually going to continue our captains of industry theme going into seasons seven and eight since it has proven to be so popular with our global listeners. And in between each of the themes, we always feature a captain of industry. And next week, I'm going to introduce all of our listeners to an extraordinary individual named Michael Zeisser. He runs FMZ Ventures or FMZ as our friends in America will refer to it. But Michael was a key executive at Liberty Media. And then also with Ali Baba, he went on to create his own fund, which he has been referred to as the Warren Buffett of the Experience Economy with major investments in companies like Get Your Guide and Fever. So I was very keen to bring him on the podcast. I've gotten a chance to know him over the last couple of years. I always enjoy our conversations. And so I thought it would be ideal to have a full-hour conversation with Michael to get his perspective on the industry, the big trends for 2026, and how he views investing in travel. So make sure you're subscribed on the streaming platform of your choice to be notified when those new episodes go live. And then we're gonna close out season six with one more deep dive into the world of aviation, which we have not focused on before. We have a number of really interesting conversations to kick off this new year about aviation in 2026. And then I'm very excited to bring you season seven starting in February. And we're just finalizing all the themes and the partnerships now. So feel free to reach out if you have any final suggestions because we always want to be able to respond to our listeners and make sure that we're covering the content that you want us to focus on. So feel free to send me an email, Dan, at traveltrendspodcast.com. And next week we'll be announcing some of those exciting developments that we have planned for season seven. Thanks again for joining us. Happy New Year again, everyone. Look forward to speaking to you all next week. Until then, safe travels.