Intrepid Travel Sees “Tremendous Demand” from Canada as the TO Expands Rail Collection

Intrepid Travel has just expanded its fast-growing rail collection with six new itineraries including a standout in Eastern Canada, along with others across Africa, Asia and Europe.

Christian Wolters, President, Canada at Intrepid Travel says the company has seen tremendous demand from Canada, with domestic bookings up 37% year-over-year as travellers seek to support local communities and explore their own backyard with more intention and depth.

Overall, Intrepid has seen a 24% increase in rail bookings.

“There’s a clear appetite for lower-emissions options like rail, offering a slower, more scenic, and sustainable way to explore,” Wolters told Travel Market Report Canada. “It really appeals to travellers looking for more thoughtful, immersive journeys that reduce their environmental impact. While sustainability plays a role, the appeal of rail today is equally about pace, presence, and deeper connection. 

We know that today’s travellers are craving more in-depth trips. It’s no longer about just checking countries off a list but spending meaningful time in each destination. In response to increasing requests for longer, more flexible trips, Intrepid has extended over 50 of its tours by a day for 2025. That extra time offers more freedom to explore at your own rhythm.”

Wolters tells us Intrepid’s East Coast Canada itineraries are also seeing a spike in demand; during the company’s recent 20% off sale on domestic trips, bookings were up 152% year over year and the top selling trip was the East Coast Canada itinerary.

“We’re attributing this growth to a mix of Canadian pride, travellers choosing to stay closer to home, and tourism boards really investing in marketing to Canadian travellers, particularly from East Coast destinations like Nova Scotia, tapping into this movement and being effective. To meet demand, we’re adding more departures on the East Coast for the fall,” says Wolters.

Other itineraries seeing growth from Canada are:

• Morocco remains a top choice, with bookings up 6% year-over-year.
• Egypt is seeing remarkable recovery, with bookings nearly tripling year-over-year. Travellers are eager to return to its iconic historical sites with confidence. 
• Mexico has also grown by 25% year-over-year.

Wolters encourages advisors to take the opportunity to educate themselves on the Intrepid product via their Agent Portal and training modules that provide detailed itineraries, pricing, availability, marketing materials, and interactive, self-paced learning complete with quizzes. Intrepid also offers webinars for new launches, providing a thorough walk-through of the details, selling tips, and live Q&A.

“Whenever possible, we conduct in-person training to offer even deeper product knowledge and strengthen advisor expertise,” adds Wolters.