“We will be announcing an exciting range of new products for Europe and North Africa in the next couple of weeks and I aim to visit Ireland before the end of 2020,” Zina Bencheikh, Managing Director EMEA, Intrepid Group, told ITTN’s Neil Steedman in a Zoom interview.
“I am not sure what is happening in people’s minds, but it is clear that in the Irish and UK markets local and domestic travel will begin first and then mainland Europe will bounce back. Intrepid is getting more and more enquiries, most of which express interest in 2021.
“Even though many travel consultants have either been furloughed or laid off there has been continued interest in our social media activities and online training. We will continue with our Q&A sessions and will be doing a little more destination training.
Pen Pal Programme
“We have also launched our unique Pen Pal Programme in Ireland and the UK to help stay connected to our agent partners in lockdown, while supporting girls in Morocco associated with Education For All (EFA), a charity backed by The Intrepid Foundation, who have been equally affected by Covid-19.
“The Intrepid Pen Pal Programme is designed to connect children of agents in Ireland and the UK with girls from EFA in Morocco, and children of staff working for Intrepid Operations (Peak DMCs) in destinations as far flung as Myanmar, Egypt, Croatia and Peru. The scheme encourages children aged between 6 and 18 years old to make new friends by swapping online letters with each other, learn about different cultures, and discover how other countries are dealing with the current Covid-19 pandemic.
“During these challenging times, we wanted to show our support to our agent friends, many of whom we know are working under demanding and high-pressure circumstances, as well as those affected in other ways by the pandemic, like many girls in Morocco. By launching the Intrepid Pen Pal Programme, our hope is that we can continue to stay connected even in isolation, and regardless of our geographical or economic circumstances. We want to create some positivity in the current climate by engaging with our agents and community partners through unique and light-hearted activities like the Pen Pal Programme that resonate in these difficult times and hopefully that suit individual, as well as business needs. “To find out how to join the Pen Pal Programme and about future online events Intrepid will be running over the coming weeks, agents can sign up to the Intrepid Loves Agents Facebook page www.facebook.com/groups/intrepidlovesagents
