Intrepid Travel doubles departures in wake of recent elections and tourism demand
Intrepid Travel, an adventure travel company with a legacy of bringing travelers to some of the world's most intriguing regions, has doubled the number of departures for its Best of Burma tour in response to exceptional demand from passengers and anticipated tourism attention as a result of this weekend’s elections. Before it added the 36 new dates, 99 per cent of trip places available in 2012 had been sold, and some departures scheduled for 2013 were fully booked.
Intrepid Travel decided to return to operating its experiential trips in Burma in 2012 following Aung San Suu Kyi's release from house arrest and the National League for Democracy's (NLD) decision to end its recommended tourist boycott of the country. The adventure travel company is currently running its first trip back in the country and will now offer weekly departures of its 15-day itinerary throughout most of the year.
"There's been an incredible response to Aung San Suu Kyi's call for tourists to return to Burma," said James Thornton, Intrepid Travel's General Manager, Global Sales. "It's a beautiful and fascinating country, and anyone who discovers Burma with Intrepid can be assured that we have planned every aspect of our tour carefully to ensure it benefits local people and communities."
In recommencing its operations in Burma it was important for Intrepid Travel to ensure as much money as possible generated from trips was going into the pockets of the locals.
"Intrepid Travel's 'grassroots' trip design means the company works closely with local suppliers in the countries we visit, a style that lends itself to targeting where the tourist dollars are spent," Thornton said.
Intrepid's 15-day Best of Burma trip is led by a local guide and visits Yangon, Bagan, Mandalay, the Ayeyarwaddy River, Kalaw and the surrounding mountains, and the Inle Lake. Accommodation is in locally-run hotels and guesthouses, with one night aboard a boat on the Ayeyarwaddy River. Prices start from USD $2,310 excluding flights.