Melbourne-Colombo flights already running near-full, beating expectations, says Jetstar's Zeglin. Daily Mirror: Jetstar Airways' inaugural Melbourne-Colombo flight touched down at Bandaranaike International Airport last week to a ceremony marking the airline's entry into the Sri Lankan market. Speaking to Daily Mirror Business on the sidelines of the event, Jetstar Airways Executive Manager Commercial Scott Zeglin said demand on the new route has already outpaced the airline's own forecasts, even outside peak season. "We were 92 percent full coming in, and 91 percent on the way out today. What we have noticed is that the flights have a good baseline load, but then they book really late too. With this inaugural flight, we were surprised how full it got, we weren't expecting it to be this full, but it has been very, very strong," Zeglin said. The service, operated with a reconfigured widebody Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, runs three times weekly year-round and introduces more than 100,000 low-fare seats annually on the corridor, establishing Sri Lanka's first low-cost direct link to Australia, though SriLankan Airlines already operates the route on a full-service basis. Jetstar's pitch is squarely on price, with promotional launch fares starting from Rs. 67,770. According to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), Australia is the island's sixth-largest source market, generating 67,138 arrivals in the first seven months of 2026, up 11.1 percent year-on-year. The market's underlying profile, however, is unusual: visiting friends and relatives (VFR) accounts for 34.21 percent of Australian arrivals against 57.72 percent travelling purely for leisure. While Victoria's sizeable Sri Lankan expatriate community underpins a dependable passenger base, Zeglin said Jetstar's low-fare model is designed to convert the broader Australian holidaymaker segment that has historically defaulted to Southeast Asian destinations. Of the inaugural flight, Zeglin said about 85 percent of passengers were flying point-to-point between Melbourne and Colombo, with the remaining 15 percent connecting beyond Melbourne - roughly split between domestic Australia and New Zealand. On whether Jetstar would add frequencies for the December-February peak season, Zeglin was measured, noting the thrice-weekly service must first prove its business case amid global cost volatility. "Since we started planning this, we've had fuel go through the roof in terms of costs with the Middle East pieces," he said. "We definitely need to make sure we can cover those increased cost pressures on the route, but so far, loads are good, revenue is good, and we're very pleased with the performance." He added that peak-season demand "is excellent, and we're really looking forward to that." To build sustained leisure demand, Jetstar has partnered with tour operator Intrepid Travel, which brought organised tour groups on the inaugural service and ranks Sri Lanka as its fifth most popular destination for Australian travellers. The airline also hosted a delegation of Australian content creators and New Zealand journalists on the flight. "That was really targeting Australian and New Zealand tourists who can go to Bali, can go to Thailand, can go anywhere in the Asia-Pacific," Zeglin said. "A lot of travellers on full-service carriers are visiting friends and relatives or looking at higher price tiers. Our low-fare model allows Aussie leisure travellers looking for budget-friendly holidays to consider Sri Lanka. Someone once tried to describe Sri Lanka as 'the Bali of 30 years ago' - and I said that doesn't do Sri Lanka justice at all! Sri Lanka is way better than that." Qantas Group has previously used Jetstar's low-cost network to test emerging leisure routes ahead of a possible mainline entry, and a senior Qantas Group Asset Management executive, Rohan Garnett, was part of the delegation that travelled with Zeglin. The bilateral significance of the connection was echoed by Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Matthew Duckworth, who drew parallels to the historic World War II "Double Sunrise" flights operated between Perth and Koggala Lake by Qantas and the Royal Australian Air Force, noting that as both nations approach the 80th anniversary of formal diplomatic ties next year, direct air links serve as an important bridge for trade, education and two-way tourism. MJF Leisure Chair and Tourism Alliance Co-Chair Malik J. Fernando wrote in a social media post that direct services mark a structural shift for the industry. "Beyond the headlines, this is about reducing our historic overreliance on Middle East transit hubs, diversifying our source markets, and attracting the kind of direct-flight traveller who spends more once they're here," Fernando wrote. "Securing these routes is only half the job - it now falls to our industry to support them with sustained, targeted marketing so airlines have the confidence to stay and ideally go year-round." Jetstar Airways' entry into the Sri Lankan market is more than a boost for tourism as it strengthens the country's emerging proposition as a business and investment destination for Australian companies. The new Melbourne-Colombo service, operating three times a week year-round, provides more than 100,000 low-fare seats annually, significantly improving direct connectivity between Sri Lanka and Australia. Strong initial demand, with flights operating at more than 90 percent capacity, also signals the depth of commercial and tourism interest between the two markets. For Australian businesses/investors, improved air connectivity can reduce one of the practical barriers to expanding into Sri Lanka, making it easier for investors, executives, technical teams and business partners to travel between the two countries. This could support greater activity in tourism, hospitality, logistics, education, professional services, technology, agriculture, renewable energy and manufacturing. The stronger travel link also comes as Sri Lanka seeks to attract greater foreign direct investment (FDI) and deepen economic ties with Australia. Recent engagement between the Board of Investment and the Australian Trade and Investment Commission has focused specifically on improving investment promotion and attracting productive FDI. The combination of direct connectivity, a strategically located economy, an increasingly skilled workforce and expanding business/investment opportunities gives Australian businesses greater scope to view Sri Lanka not simply as a tourism destination, but as a potential regional business base and investment partner. | Article Code: | VBS/AT/20260904Z_3 |

"The right time and place": Intrepid CEO breaks down new relationship with ACV. Post date: Sep 2 2026 TORONTO - Intrepid Travel is expanding its reach in Canada through a new partnership with Air Canada Vacations, bringing eight of its Canadian small-group itineraries onto the tour operator's booking platform and into the hands of its travel advisor network. Travelweek spoke with James Thornton, CEO of Intrepid Travel, who said the partnership represents a significant opportunity to put Intrepid's style of travel in front of Canadians who may not previously have considered small-group adventure. "It opens the door for a whole new group of travellers to discover and fall in love with Intrepid's style of travel," Thornton told Travelweek. "It puts us right where Canadians are already looking to travel, alongside a brand they already know and trust." Starting this week, Air Canada Vacations customers and travel advisors will be able to book eight Intrepid itineraries across Canada, ranging from the Rocky Mountains to Newfoundland and the Maritimes. Flights and the Intrepid land itinerary can be combined through the same Air Canada Vacations booking journey. EIGHT CANADIAN TRIPS AT LAUNCH The initial Air Canada Vacations collection includes eight of Intrepid's best-selling Canadian itineraries: Classic Canadian Rockies, Grand Canadian Rockies, Eastern Canada by Rail, Newfoundland Adventure East, The Maritimes: Nova Scotia, Newfoundland West, Best of Canadian Maritimes and The Maritimes: Prince Edward Island to New Brunswick. Thornton said the selection gives travellers a broad cross-section of familiar Canadian destinations while offering a more immersive way to experience them. "They're destinations Canadians already know and are interested in, but they offer a different way to experience them," he said. "Instead of simply visiting the main sights, travellers have the benefit of a local leader, a small group and an itinerary that takes care of the logistics while still giving them a deeper connection to the destination." For Air Canada Vacations, the partnership reflects growing demand for vacations built around local experiences. "This relationship is happening at the right time and place. Experience-rich travel is becoming increasingly important to Canadians," said Nino Montagnese, Vice President, Air Canada Vacations. "Intrepid has built its reputation on creating meaningful, locally led experiences that go beyond the traditional tourist itinerary, and that's exactly the kind of travel we want to bring to more Canadians." CANADA: FASTEST-GROWING MARKET The launch comes as Canada emerges as Intrepid's fastest-growing market globally, with Canadian bookings up 26% year over year in 2026. "Canada has been a really strong market for us this year," Thornton told Travelweek. "A big part of that is that the way Canadians want to travel is lining up very closely with what Intrepid Travel does best. Travellers are looking for more meaningful, experience-rich trips where they can connect with the people and places they're visiting, without having to organize every detail themselves." He added that small-group adventure is also moving beyond the backpacker audience with which the category has traditionally been associated. "Adventure travel is one of the fastest-growing segments in global tourism - a $500 billion category heading towards $2 trillion, with North America among the fastest-growing regions," he said. "The opportunity for us in Canada is to keep making our growing style of travel easier to discover and easier to book." Thornton also noted that Intrepid has expanded its operations and has dedicated teams working to grow both Canada and the U.S. The company's new venture with Air Canada Vacations is part of its enhanced North American focus. "Relationships like this one with Air Canada Vacations can play an important role. It grows our distribution in Canada by working with one of the most trusted and established names in the travel industry at a time when the market is showing strong momentum," said Thornton. A SIMPLER SELL FOR ADVISORS The partnership also creates a new distribution channel for Intrepid through Air Canada Vacations' travel advisor network. Thornton said one of the biggest benefits for advisors is simplicity. "They can package an Intrepid itinerary with a flight through the Air Canada Vacations booking journey, while we continue to take care of the itinerary, local expertise and logistics on the ground," he said. "That means less complexity for the advisor and a much simpler experience for the traveller." The product will also be featured during Air Canada Vacations' annual Dream Makers Product Roadshows, giving advisors an opportunity to learn more about the itineraries and how to sell them. Thornton believes that broader exposure through the trade can also help change some long-standing perceptions about adventure travel. "There can still be a perception that adventure travel means something extreme or highly specialized, when in reality it can simply mean having a local leader, travelling with a small group and getting more out of the destination while the logistics are taken care of," he said. "This is adventure travel made simple - no specialist knowledge required. The only requirement is the curiosity to go and explore." DOMESTIC DEMAND ON THE RISE The decision to launch with Canadian itineraries also reflects a shift Intrepid is seeing in traveller behaviour. According to Thornton, Intrepid trips in Canada booked by Canadians are up 10% in 2026. "We're seeing this rise in domestic travel too, as more Canadians choose to explore closer to home," he told Travelweek. "The timing certainly aligns with a broader moment of intense and growing Canadian national pride. We want Intrepid to be the one to take them on adventures in their own backyard." Statistics Canada reported that Canadians made 69.1 million domestic trips in the first quarter of 2026, up 2.3% year over year. Thornton said the trend is less about Canadians abandoning far-flung destinations altogether and more about becoming increasingly deliberate in how they travel. "Canada has incredible travel experiences, but sometimes people think they need to go much further afield to have a big adventure," he said. "That's one of the things I like about starting this partnership with domestic trips. We sometimes forget just how much there is to explore here. You don't have to leave the country to have a big adventure." Intrepid's own research points to a similar shift. Its Meaningful Travel Index found that 84% of Canadians say it is important that their travels positively impact local people and places, while 81% say travelling with a local expert helps them connect more deeply with a destination. Thornton said those priorities are increasingly influencing not only where Canadians travel, but how they evaluate a trip. "They're not necessarily looking for the furthest destination or the biggest trip. They're looking for a great experience," he said. "I think the bigger shift is that people are being more intentional about where they go and what they want to get out of the trip. It's becoming less about ticking off the famous places and more about what you actually get from the experience." For Intrepid, the Air Canada Vacations partnership is part of a broader push to grow its presence across North America. "We have a much greater focus on the United States and Canada, and we're doing whatever we can for this part of the world to be the biggest part of Intrepid," said Thornton. "That means continuing to invest in the region and making it easier for travellers to discover and book the kind of small-group travel we know there is growing demand for." Lead image caption: James Thornton, CEO of Intrepid Travel Cindy is Deputy Editor at Travelweek and has worked for the company since 2007. She has travelled to more than 50 countries and counts Kenya, Morocco, Thailand and Turkey among her favourite destinations.