Eight in 10 Americans say they want to find destinations they don’t see on social media, and Intrepid Travel is betting that appetite can be turned into conservation dollars.
The Intrepid Foundation, the tour operator’s charitable arm, has launched Give Wild, a U.S. campaign that funnels traveler, employee, and partner donations to nonprofits protecting national parks, public lands, wildlife, and the communities around them. The Grand Canyon Conservancy is among the first beneficiaries. The foundation covers all administrative costs, so every dollar goes to the partner organizations, and it will match donations dollar-for-dollar up to $25,000.
Utah Zion National Park
(Intrepid Travel)
The campaign is built on new Intrepid research pointing to a real shift in how Americans want to travel. Seventy-two percent of respondents said overcrowding worsens their trips, 65 percent would pick a less-crowded national park over a famous one, and 92 percent would consider changing their travel behavior to reduce overtourism. For advisors, that’s a fairly direct signal that clients are open to being steered toward second-tier parks and shoulder-season itineraries.
“Give Wild is about turning inspiration into action,” said Leigh Barnes, president of North America at Intrepid Travel. “We know travelers care deeply about these places and are increasingly looking for ways to travel more responsibly. Through Give Wild, we’re giving people a tangible way to support organizations protecting our national parks, public lands, wildlife, and local communities. The wild has given us everything. Now it’s our turn to give back.”
Environmental storyteller and creator Alex Haraus is anchoring the campaign with an eight-video social series spotlighting lesser-known parks and responsible-travel practices. The rest of the calendar runs through the fall: Intrepid will lead a rim-to-rim Grand Canyon trek October 13–17 with travelers and partners raising funds for the Grand Canyon Conservancy, and the campaign wraps October 20 with a “Give Wild 24-Hour Takeover” fundraising push.
Advisors and clients can donate or learn more at theintrepidfoundation.org/give-wild.
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