Intrepid Travel is to help regenerate Bosnia and Herzegovina as a destination at the heart of sustainability within Europe.
The B Corp certified responsible travel group has been brought into a project to share its experience in destination and product development, particularly in sustainable tourism, working with local communities, suppliers and guides on the ground.
An eight-day package to Bosnia and Herzogovina is scheduled for five initial departures in 2023 in addition to the support being provided by the company to a US Agency for International Development sustainable tourism development (Turizam) initiative alongside the Global Travel & Tourism Resilience Council.
USAID Turizam, which began in August 2020, is a five-year $20 million project to help develop post-pandemic sustainable tourism growth.
Representatives from Intrepid Travel travelled to Bosnia and Herzegovina earlier in the year to deliver three workshops about how the company recommends suppliers develop sustainable experiences, in addition to advising how to develop and deliver products to industry standards.
Intrepid Travel chief purpose officer Natalie Kidd said: “We’re honoured to have been chosen as a key tour operator partner for this project, as expanding sustainable travel options around the world remains one of our key priorities.
“We’ve been championing this style of travel since our inception in 1989, and it’s so encouraging to see such massive investments and commitments being made towards the development of more responsible travel options.
“Bosnia and Herzegovina is a beautiful country with so much to offer international travellers, and we’re excited to be working alongside USAID Turizam and the Global Travel & Tourism Resilience Council to change the impression of the country and create meaningful experiences.”
Laurie Myers, global strategist for the Resilience Council, added: “We’re facilitating partnerships that make a difference on the ground. From the local communities to international businesses, this partnership ticks all the boxes.
“We will share this case study with other destinations across the world to amplify the messaging around how much can be done with public and private partnerships.
“We’re looking forward to a series of programmes and experiences to hit the market, including special expedition programmes exclusively for Intrepid Travel’s customers.”