Intrepid Travel hires Accor veteran to accelerate hotel expansion

Tour company Intrepid Travel aims to accelerate its expansion into hotels with the hire of Celine Hurelle.

Hurelle, a 24-year veteran at Accor, will work with Intrepid’s executive leadership to identify opportunities to acquire accommodations that support the company’s ethos of responsible travel.

Intrepid currently has two hotels — one in Australia and one in Vietnam. 

In Australia, the company owns and operates the 15-room Daintree Ecolodge in Tropical North Queensland, which it acquired in late 2023. In Vietnam, the company has entered a three-year lease agreement with the 19-room Hoi An Field Boutique Resort and Spa. About 85-90% of the hotel’s business is from Intrepid groups, said the company.

Intrepid said Vietnam was the company’s most popular destination in 2023.  

Intrepid also is in a 50-50 joint venture with CABN, an off-grid accommodations company in South Australia.

At Accor, Hurelle worked in various senior roles in several countries, including Australia, France and Thailand. She was most recently global head of the Sofitel brand, based in Paris. 

Hurelle has experience in strategy, brand and commercial leadership and will be based at Intrepid’s global headquarters in Melbourne, Australia. Hurelle holds dual French-Australian citizenship.  

“I have a deep admiration for Intrepid’s approach to responsible travel and am impressed by the company’s growth over the years,” Hurelle said. “To join the company at this time is very exciting, and I look forward to drawing on my two decades of experience to drive expansion into community-led and local properties that are truly ‘intrepid’, in every sense.”