Intrepid deepens commitment to Aotearoa
Intrepid deepens commitment to Aotearoa with full acquisition of Haka Tours
August 2025
Intrepid Travel has announced it now fully owns leading New Zealand small group operator Haka Tours, cementing its long-term commitment to growth in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Following Intrepid’s initial investment in 2021, Haka Tours will now operate as Intrepid DMC New Zealand Limited, reflecting the next phase of Intrepid’s strategy to become one of the top three travel brands in New Zealand, both for Kiwis heading abroad and for inbound travellers.
Brett Mitchell, Intrepid’s Managing Director ANZ said:
“New Zealand has always been an important part of Intrepid’s regional strategy, not only as a world-class destination, but as a market of curious, conscious travellers. We’re proud to build on Haka’s legacy and invest in both inbound and outbound travel experiences that celebrate Aotearoa’s spirit of adventure. We have more Kiwis travelling on Intrepid trips per capita than anywhere on the planet, so we want to continue to invest locally and are incredibly excited about our future in Aotearoa”.
Intrepid Travel recently appointed Simon Mckearney as Intrepid’s first New Zealand Country Manager, under the new structure, based in Auckland. The role brings together both inbound and outbound operations for the first time under a single leadership position.
Simon Mckearney, Intrepid DMC New Zealand General Manager said:
“Haka Tours has built a respected brand over the past 20 years, and we’re committed to carrying that forward with integrity and purpose. After completing the full acquisition, our focus is on strengthening local partnerships, supporting our guiding and operations teams, and delivering exceptional travel experiences that reflect the values of Aotearoa and the communities we work with. This includes bringing ANZ Nature Tours into the Intrepid DMC New Zealand family.”
Earlier this month Intrepid also announced its full acquisition of Australian active tourism business JOOB’s Inspiration Outdoors brand, strengthening its DMC operations and signalling continued investment in the active and adventure travel sector across ANZ.
For a full view of Intrepid’s business and future plans read Integrated Annual Report here.