Responsible travel specialist, Intrepid Travel, has rolled out a new experience to its Sri Lankan itineraries – one that highlights the impact employee and traveller donations to the Intrepid Foundation are delivering in local communities.
Travellers visiting Sigiriya will now be able to experience the newly opened ZeroPlastic Impact Centre, created by local partner Zero Plastic Movement with support from Intrepid’s award-winning Impact Grant programme.
The centre showcases locally made, plastic-free alternatives to everyday items, including cutlery and toiletries crafted from coconut shells, bamboo, cane, clay, wood, lacquer and natural fibres.
Funded by an A$50,000 (US$35,365) Impact Grant from The Intrepid Foundation, the centre connects travellers directly with local artisans, offering opportunities to purchase handicrafts, participate in workshops, and see circular economy initiatives in action.
Poornaka Delpachitra, general manager of Intrepid Travel Sri Lanka, said: “The ZeroPlastic Impact Centre marks a major milestone for us, as it truly sets an example for how tourism can be a vehicle to creating and sustaining positive change in local communities.”
The Impact Grant programme, launched in 2023, funds grassroots non-profits working across conservation, animal welfare, equality, and community development. Grants are funded through donations to The Intrepid Foundation, matched by Intrepid Travel, with recipients voted for by Intrepid staff and travellers.
In 2024 alone, more than 700 Intrepid staff voted to allocate A$266,000 across eight long-term Foundation partners globally. In 2025, The Intrepid Foundation awarded 16 grants totalling A$709,000, made possible by the generosity of Intrepid travellers.
Biheng Zhang, general manager of The Intrepid Foundation shared that 1,418 votes for the Travellers’ Choice grant have been received since public voting started in 2025
“We’re already seeing strong progress across those projects and look forward to sharing more once they’re complete,” Zhang said.
Other projects supported by the Impact Grant include a solar panel installation initiative by the Cambodia Rural Students Trust, which generates around 40,000 kWh of clean energy each year, providing reliable power for students and staff while cutting emissions and building local technical capability.
