TORONTO — The views from last night’s Toronto rooftop party with Intrepid Travel were stellar – just like the company’s outlook from the booming Canadian market.

“Canada is very strong with 50% year over year growth. And that’s from a strong base to begin with,” Intrepid’s President and GM, Canada, Christian Wolters, told Travelweek.

Intrepid’s outbound bookings from this market are up, plus bookings from Canadians for travel within Canada have increased 37%.

Drilling down to regional stats, Intrepid’s bookings from Canadians to Eastern Canada surged by 152% during Intrepid’s June sale that gave 20% off on Canadian trips for Canadian travellers, prompting the company to expand fall departures.

“They’ve had some great marketing,” noted Wolters, from Newfoundland and Labrador, to Nova Scotia, to Prince Edward Island, to the viral ‘Come Hug it Out’ ad from Quebec’s Eastern Townships.

The strong Canadian bookings are in contrast with the U.S. market.  Americans were booking in good numbers at the very start of the year, said Wolters, but then started to take a downward turn “after Jan. 20.”

Intrepid’s President and GM, Canada, Christian Wolters and Hannah Choat, PR Manager, North America

Wolters told Travelweek: “We had very high expectations for 2025 at the start of the year. Canada has delivered, the U.S. has not. The U.S. started 40% up in January. The election and new administration spooked Americans in a lot of different ways.”

With chaos and instability, people aren’t as likely to book travel. “Travel’s really tied to the economy. When people feel like they have security, when they have money in the bank, they travel,” he said.

And just like the post-pandemic surge, the emphasis for many consumers is on experiences, not goods, he added. The rush to travel has narrowed Intrepid’s booking window, now averaging less than 3 months.

More travellers are getting the message that off-season travel is often more cost-effective, and less crowded. Or maybe they’re just seeing social media pics of top tourism attractions jammed in the summer months and using common sense to time their vacations. Whatever the reason, off-season travel is on the rise, said Wolters. November bookings are up 62% year over year in terms of both passengers and revenue.

More fun facts from Intrepid: Vietnam is a top seller from Canada, despite not ranking in the U.S. or globally. Cycling trips are gaining traction in Canada but declining in the U.S., signalling a stronger local appetite for immersive, active experiences.

INTREPID DAY HAPPENING JULY 24

The Intrepid team is excited about ‘Intrepid Day’, a new annual celebration of how travel can create positive change. All 31 of the company’s offices are taking part globally, and Intrepid is hosting a public event in Toronto tomorrow, Thursday, July 24, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Sankofa Square at Yonge and Dundas.

Organizers will transform the space with interactive activities, a prize wheel, hourly trip raffles and more. It’s free, fun, and open to all — designed to spark curiosity and community, said the company.

Leigh Barnes, President, Americas, Intrepid Travel

Also for Intrepid Day, Intrepid will triple all donations made to The Intrepid Foundation on July 24, supporting global partners including Water First in Canada.

“The date signifies the company’s global reach and impact throughout the world across every hour of every day (24/7). Intrepid Day is set to become an annual celebration, reinforcing Intrepid Travel’s ambition to lead with purpose and grow its impact globally,” said Intrepid.

Full details of Intrepid Day can be found here: https://www.sankofasquare.ca/calendar/2025/7/24/intrepid-day

What else is on the radar for Intrepid? “We’re super excited about TIFF,” said Wolters. The world-famous Toronto International Film Festival turns 50 this year (Sept. 4-14) and no doubt organizers will be pulling out all the stops. Thrilled with the success of last year’s Intrepid presence at TIFF, the company is going big at the event for 2025. “We’re going to be very involved again this year. We’ll have a big activation on the red carpet,” said Wolters.

Intrepid Day 2025 takes place July 24