REI Co-op is back in the travel business.
We’ve teamed up with outdoor retailer Intrepid Travel to offer small group tours around the world. REI re-entered the market less than a year after shuttering its Experiences category in January, citing financial difficulties.
The companies plan to launch REI Exclusive and REI Featured Collections in January. Anyone can book a trip, whether they’re a Co-op member or not, but members receive a 15% discount on the Exclusive Collection. The itinerary is operated by Intrepid.
Leigh Barnes, Intrepid’s president of the Americas, said REI members seek “unique, authentic and meaningful travel experiences rooted in community,” and he believes Intrepid will deliver.
The Exclusive Collection offers more than 25 itineraries ranging from 3 to 14 days in Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Italy, Japan, Morocco, Nepal, Peru, Portugal, Spain, Tanzania and parts of the United States. Trips include hiking adventures, a variety of sports itineraries, and women-led experiences.
The featured portfolio includes more than 50 trips in 32 countries ranging from 4 to 15 days. Some of these tours offer premium accommodations.
“These trips are designed to bring together REI members’ deep appreciation for familiar outdoor spaces and the thrill of discovering the unknown, while reflecting the cooperative’s core values of outside time, inclusivity and sustainability,” said Susan Viscon, REI’s chief emerging ventures and impact officer.
Over time, more itineraries will be available as the collection expands to reflect traveler interests, according to the announcement.
