Intrepid to host 350 agents on fams Samantha Mayling


Intrepid Travel is ramping up its fam trip programme to capitalise on strong trade sales momentum and a record peaks. Carrie Grant, UK and Ireland


head of industry partnerships, said January sales were “incredible”. “We were 20% up across the


board, but agent business was over 40% up,” she said. “It was our best month on record,


and we had seven of the top-10 days of all time. Since September, each month has been in our top-10 months of all time. “There is growing momentum, all


driven by our agent partnerships.” Grant attributed much of


January’s success to a ‘prep for peaks’ campaign in December and an incentive in January and February, offering agents a free Intrepid holiday for selling three trips, and the chance to ‘take a mate’ for selling eight. “That has proved so popular,” she


said. “We run incentives all year, but our ‘sell three’ one in January gives us the best cut-through.” She said the adventure specialist


saw a “strong” 2025, mostly driven by momentum in the second half. Trade sales were 28% up on 2024


and comprise about 40% of the company’s business. Grant was promoted in June 2025


and is part of a six-strong trade team. Fam trips are core to Intrepid’s strategy. More than 350 agents will


Responsible Travel urges companies to back accessible trips


Samantha Mayling


Tourism and accessibility experts are backing Responsible Travel’s call for companies to do more to help travellers with access needs and provide better information. Responsible Travel said accessible


travel is a “mainstream market”, as research shows two in five (41%) adults travel with access or health issues. The YouGov poll – commissioned


by Responsible Travel – found 23% of adults with access or health considerations say travel-related stress and lack of confidence limit their holiday choice. Only finances – cost of living (46%) and cost of


6 19 FEBRUARY 2026


holidays (50%) – were rated as bigger barriers. Responsible Travel is now urging


travel companies and destinations to plug the “information vacuum” to counter a “confidence crisis” and drive accessible tourism sales. The survey of more than 2,000 UK


adults is the first of an annual study about accessible adventure travel. Justin Francis, Responsible


Travel co-founder, said: “I hope this research will help drive progress.” The poll found more than one in


three people (35%) have one or more long-term health conditions, illnesses or impairments, with a further 6% identifying as an unpaid caregiver


travel on fams this year, to long-haul destinations such as Peru, Borneo, China and Uzbekistan, plus short- haul in Spain, Morocco and London. “I wanted to ensure we were the


standout supplier for immersive agent training – using experiences to educate,” she said. She said the number of fam places


Carrie Grant


on offer is “well over double” that of last year and treble that of prior years. Highlights include China –


where Intrepid has seen growth, especially since the visa-free travel announcement – and Japan, where demand has been “phenomenal”. “We’ve definitely seen a little bit


of a drop-off in the US, but we’ve got so much product, it doesn’t necessarily have an impact – we’ve got great product in South and Central America,” she noted. “Geopolitical situations always


have an impact on travel. We see that with the Middle East, which is now thriving again; Egypt and Jordan sales


were in our top 10 for January.” i Lunar New Year festivals in Asia: Destinations, page 47


Adventurer Karen Darke in an all-terrain hand bike at Everest Base Camp


and/or regular travel companion of someone who does. Francis said: “The findings show


significant interest from this group in more-accessible cultural, active and nature-based experiences. Even simple steps from travel companies can help unlock these opportunities.” People with access and health


considerations also told YouGov that accessibility information should be online and not require a phone call. However, in another Responsible


Travel poll of more than 130 holiday companies, 67% said their accessibility information was unavailable online. Antonella Vecchio, Tourism for All trustee, said firms providing


more-detailed information can “unlock real value” while “the commercial consequences of doing nothing are significant”. Rachel Nafzger, who is blind,


has travelled with Seable Holidays, including a safari to Eswatini. But she said her travels had been “overshadowed” by a “(lack) of assistance for passengers with disabilities at airports and on airplanes”. University of Nottingham tourism


professor Jillian Rickly said travellers with disabilities represent a $70 billion market in Europe and the US. To view the YouGov survey


findings, visit responsibletravel.com/ copy/accessible-holidays-survey.


travelweekly.co.uk


PICTURE: Karen Darke


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