Last year when I took on involvement with other NAS expedition brands International Expeditions and Zegrahm Expeditions, I took a deliberate step back from my role at Quark. Today, I am very excited to announce that I will lead a newly-formed portfolio of some of the world's leading specialist adventure travel brands.
Hans in Antarctica with Quark Expeditions
We will bring together five experiential brands -Exodus, Headwater, Trek America, Grand American Adventures and Sawadee (which operated under the PEAK umbrella) along with three North America based expedition brands Quark Expeditions, Zegrahm Expeditions and International Expeditions. In addition, this group will include the company World Challenge and a US based destination management company. Together these companies offer inspirational experience-based adventure holiday and expedition travel products worldwide, catering to the interests and styles of active adventure travellers. From cresting Kilimanjaro to canoeing on the Zambezi, from seeing tiger cubs on the African savannah to skiing the last mile to reach the North Pole, all these companies within the group share a commitment to offering experiential holidays that create lifelong memories.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my last five years at Quark and am very proud to have seen the evolution of this niche company to the strong and innovative industry leaders that we are today. However, to affirm my commitment to my new role, I will relocate my home base from Quark Expeditions in Toronto across the pond to London, where I will now reside along with my family.
Although I will be located in the UK, I will still be involved with Quark and work together with the team on some exciting long-term projects. Last but not least, I am looking forward to my next voyage with Quark Expeditions; their industry exclusive fly-cruise voyage to Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falklands in February 2016 .
TUI GROUP AND INTREPID TRAVEL PART WAYS TO CATER TO EVOLVING ADVENTURE MARKET
TUI Group and Australian-based Intrepid Group announced today the end of their PEAK Adventure Travel Group strategic venture.
The amicable decision to end their four-year partnership will allow each Group to best serve their respective general and specialist adventure market focus.
Under the new arrangement, Intrepid Travel co-founders Darrell Wade and Geoff Manchester will continue to manage the small group adventure travel company they founded in 1989.
With Darrell Wade continuing as CEO and James Thornton as Managing Director, the privately-owned Intrepid Group includes Adventure Tours Australia, Geckos Adventures, Intrepid Travel, Peregrine Adventures, The Family Adventure Company, Urban Adventures plus the company's group of destination management companies.
A newly created Adventure Specialist Division sitting within TUI's Specialist Group will bring together seven higher-end experiential brands - Exodus, Headwater, Trek America, Grand American Adventures and Sawadee (which operated under the PEAK umbrella) with Quark Expeditions, Zegrahm Expeditions and International Expeditions (which previously comprised the Group's North American Specialist Division).
Reporting into Martin Froggatt the Division led by its Managing Director Hans Lagerweij, will focus on innovating product within the more specialized experiential holiday market to meet travellers' increasingly adventurous demands.
Explaining the decision, Darrell Wade - PEAK's former CEO - said: "Over the last four years we've seen huge growth in the adventure travel sector globally. Whilst the formation of PEAK served all brands involved well at the time, the decision to split is a mutually agreed arrangement that acknowledges we have different strategic and regional priorities at this time.
Commenting on the announcement, Hans Lagerweij said: “The way people holiday continues to evolve. Looking at the way people consume adventure travel, it has become apparent that two distinct styles have emerged and that the appetite for more unique experiences will only increase over the coming years.
“In order to best serve these markets and remain leaders within our fields we believe it is the right time to divide PEAK's brands to concentrate on the adventure traveller's changing needs. General adventure, will be catered for by Intrepid Travel, while our Adventure Specialist Division will focus with its expertise on the more specialist experience-based travel style.”
Darrell Wade added: “We will continue to work closely with TUI in a number of areas to ensure that it is business as usual for our industry partners and that we can collectively provide travellers with the award-winning trips for which both businesses are renowned.”
Intrepid Group
- Intrepid Travel is a global adventure travel company that has been taking people off the beaten track to discover the world's most amazing places for 26 years.
- A carbon-neutral business, Intrepid offers more than 1,000 trips in more than 100 countries and on every continent. Trips are designed to truly experience local culture, to meet local people, try local food, take local transport and stay in local accommodation.
- Award-winning leaders, small group sizes and included activities means Intrepid offers travellers great value for money.
- Based in Melbourne, Intrepid Travel is part of the Intrepid Group, the world's leading adventure tour operator.
- For more information visit www.intrepidtravel.com
TUI Group's Adventure Specialist Division
- TUI Group is the world's number one integrated tourism business. The Adventure Specialist Division sits under the Specialist & Activity segment of TUI Group Non-Mainstream.
- The new division incorporates four high-performing companies formerly in the North American Specialist Division (International Expeditions, Quark Expeditions, Zegrahm Expeditions and Europe Express) alongside TUI Group's five leading European adventure brands (Exodus, Grand American Adventures, Headwater, Sawadee and TrekAmerica).
- Together these companies offer inspirational experience-based adventure holiday ideas across worldwide destinations that suit the interests and travel styles of all high-end adventure travellers.
- From reaching the top of Kilimanjaro to canoeing on the Zambezi and from catching sight of tiger cubs to navigating shifting ice to reach the North Pole, all companies within the Adventure Specialist Division share a commitment to offering experiential holidays that create lifelong memories.
- For more information visit www.tuigroup.com
