Intrepid invests further in Sri Lanka as Colombo team doubles to become largest globally

Intrepid Travel, the world’s largest adventure travel company, plans to grow further in Sri Lanka, with its Colombo team already having doubled in just one year to become its largest globally with more than 230 staff and tour leaders.This is a different approach to some other multinational corporations that have pulled back investment in the country due to the recent political and economic challenges.

Intrepid has also committed to further growth in Colombo, with an additional 30 roles being recruited in Sri Lanka this year. Intrepid Colombo’s Centre of Excellence supports the global company through a variety of roles, including engineering, technology architects, human resources, finance and customer service.

In a show of confidence and commitment, Intrepid’s Australian-based CEO James Thornton and his Core Management Team, are currently visiting the country and meeting with the local team. Among the senior leadership is Colombo-based Chief Technology Officer Anu Karunatilaka and Managing Director Asia, Natalie Kidd. A media and industry briefing was held on 26th April at the BMICH.

“I’m thrilled to be back here in Sri Lanka to celebrate our team’s growth and achievements. Intrepid is proud to be one of Sri Lanka’s Best Places to Work, as well as a Best Place to Work for Women,” says Thornton.

Intrepid’s Country General Manager in Sri Lanka, Poornaka Delpachitra, added that the management team’s visit comes at an important time, with tourism gradually starting to recover from both the pandemic and the political crisis. “Intrepid is all about bringing people together and sharing different cultures and experiences, so I’m honoured to welcome our senior leadership here.

“Our team are excited to showcase Sri Lanka as a destination and what we have to offer. Everyone at Intrepid wants to see travellers once again exploring our beautiful country, so we can support more communities and create more tourism jobs,” adds Delpachitra.

Intrepid is a leader in climate-conscious travel options and it is innovating in Sri Lanka by trialing the use of electric vehicles. The company regularly uses EVs for airport transfers and successfully operated two fully electric-powered tours in 2022.

Additionally, the Intrepid Foundation has partnered with Zero Plastic to help drive behavioural change among Sri Lankan citizens to reduce plastic waste and support local entrepreneurs to produce plastic alternatives.