by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 9:50 AM ET, Wed March 12, 2025
Intrepid Travel, the B-Corp-certified tour operator, is doubling down on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives after many companies across America distanced themselves from it, expanding its 2025 Ethical Marketing Guidelines.
Intrepid created the Ethical Marketing Guidelines in 2021 in response to the Black Lives Matter movement. Since then, Intrepid has made significant progress towards DEI goals: in 2024, 58 percent of all influencers Intrepid worked with were BIPOC creators. Fifty-two percent of all writers on its "The Good Times" platform were BIPOC journalists. And Intrepid invested over $200,000 toward BIPOC-owned businesses and partnerships, double its goal.
This year, Intrepid's expanding guidelines include expanded representation beyond race, including LGBTQIA+, plus-size and disabled creators, hiring over 50 percent BIPOC content creators, investing $300,000 minimum in BIPOC creators to increase the visibility of minorities in the travel media and expanding its minimum annual investment in BIPOC-owned businesses, events and sponsorships to $195,000.
Intrepid's Diversifying Travel Media Program and BIPOC Mentorship Trips also elevate travel writers, photographers and business owners who have historically been underrepresented in the travel industry.
"We recognized—and continue to recognize—that we must do a better job representing the travelers of today and tomorrow: a diverse, global community from all walks of life," said Leigh Barnes, Chief Customer Officer at Intrepid Travel. "At Intrepid, creating positive change through the joy of travel isn't just a mission—it's a responsibility. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are not optional; they are essential to the future of this industry. Consumers are paying attention, and they will hold brands accountable if they retreat from progress. That's why our Ethical Marketing Guidelines exist—not just to hold ourselves to a higher standard, but to challenge the entire travel industry to do better."
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