Taking Active Holidays Better For Environment

    BOULDER, CO, November 08, 2008 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Choosing to take an active holiday is a more environmentally responsible choice according to Intrepid Travel, one of the worlds leading independent adventure travel companies.

Of the trips Intrepid Travel assessed, active style of holidays emitted an average of 3.18 kgs of CO2 per passenger per day, compared to the assessed comfort trips that emitted an average of 38.5kg.

"There's a good case for strapping on your hiking boots next holiday. When you go on an active holiday you're less likely to be travelling on buses or enjoying the air-conditioning of your hotel. Instead, you're outdoors, using your own two legs to get from A to B," said Darrell Wade, CEO and Co-founder of Intrepid Travel.

In 2009, Intrepid Travel will be offering 37 different choices of trips, where the cost of purchasing carbon offsets to balance the environmental impact of the trip has been included in the trip price.

Making the decision to take a carbon offset holiday does not significantly increase traveller's costs, with the average cost of this component of Intrepid Travel's Carbon Offset Trips being less than 50 cents per day per passenger.

There are two active styles of trips offered that take travellers on hikes through the Annapurnas, one of the world's highest mountain ranges. The trips are 19 (The Secret Kingdom of Mustang) and 22 (Annapurna Circuit) days in Nepal and start at USD $710 plus USD $400 local payment. http://www.intrepidtravel.com/trips/NXC/USPR

Intrepid Travel has chosen to offset these trips with the CarbonNeutral Company, the first company to package and sell carbon offset to businesses and consumers. It has chosen energy efficiency and clean energy projects in India, China and Peru to offset emissions generated from these trips.

"We have always travelled in a way that respects the people and the places that we visit. Offering these trips is an extension of this responsible travel philosophy that has been part of our company since day one," said Darrell Wade.

Intrepid Travel will use 2009 to monitor the effectiveness of its Carbon Offset Trips with the view to including the cost of carbon offsetting into all of its trips by 2010.

Offering these trips to its customers is the next step in Intrepid Travel's journey towards becoming a carbon neutral company by 2010. When it first announced its intention to become carbon neutral in 2006, Intrepid was among the first travel companies to do so. Since then, it has also assessed the carbon emissions of its head office operations in Melbourne, its retail stores across Australia as well as emissions created from its associated offshore companies such as those in Thailand, Peru, Kenya, UK and New Zealand to asses and work on also reducing its corporate emissions.

CEO, Darrell Wade was among the first 85 Australians selected to undertake Al Gore's training to become a climate change ambassador in 2006. Intrepid Travel has received recognition for its responsible travel efforts, including the
2006 Finalist, Global Tourism Business, Tourism for Tomorrow Awards and the 2007 Winner 'Pacific Asia Travel Association' Gold Award for Environmental Practices.

For more information on Carbon Offset Trips and Intrepid Travel: http://www.intrepidtravel.com/USPR

About Intrepid Travel

With over 19 years of experience, Intrepid Travel is one of the world's leading small group adventure tour operators. Intrepid offers over 450 itineraries in more than 90 destinations worldwide. Intrepid trips are designed to go off the beaten track, meet the locals and travel in an unconventional way, joining locals on their transport, in their markets and even in their homes.

For USA Media inquiries, please contact Ashley Montblanc at LDPR Communications, 212-696-0660. For media inquiries outside of the USA, please contact Eliza Anderson, Global PR Manager, [email protected]

# # #