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This year TTG, Intrepid Travel and Eurostar are training 20 travel agents up to become the fourth cohort of TTG Sustainable Travel Ambassadors.

The fam trip was designed to give them first-hand experience of travelling with the tour operator and rail company, so the agents can learn to sell more responsible holidays, more confidently.

Agents from the TTG LGBTQ+ Travel Ambassadors class of 2026 also joined the trip, which featured inclusivity-focused activities and exclusive WorldPride celebrations too. To find out more watch: 'this gay area shows all the wonderful colours of our community'.

Video transcript

Madeleine Barber

Hello from Amsterdam! I’m here with a group of TTG Sustainable Travel Ambassadors and TTG LGBTQ+ Travel Ambassadors. The agents and I are traveling by Eurostar and are spending four days exploring Paris and Amsterdam with Intrepid Travel. For the Sustainable Travel Ambassadors, activities are focusing on more responsible ways to travel, such as using the Metro in Paris, taking walking tours, and choosing lower-impact meals. Let’s hear what the agents have learned from their experiences, as well as why they think your clients will love travelling by Eurostar to Paris and Amsterdam with Intrepid Travel.

Laura Sigsworth

During the walking tour that we did with Urban Adventures through Le Marais, we learned all about the different communities and how the district changed over the years, and that was really interesting. We saw some really beautiful, little hidden streets, learned about the history of the area, the really interesting cultural diversity of the area, and it’s an area that, you know, most tourists probably wouldn't think to necessarily go, so it’s great for people who want to do stuff that’s a little bit off the beaten track and really get under the skin of the city.

Adriana Patchton

Not everyone wants to go and see the Eiffel Tower, so actually we could see the more artistic part [of Paris], which I actually really like. Our guide told us about Intrepid’s certain projects where people with Down’s syndrome are working in the coffee shops. Another project was about people who are homeless. They retrain them with the new trades, and then they help them find jobs and accommodation. Sustainability is not just about, you know, not using plastic bottles, it’s more about giving back to the community, and I think that’s the quite nice part, and I think it’s the biggest highlight of yesterday's trip for me.

Donna Minett

My highlights of dining at Restaurant De Ceuvel in Amsterdam were the fact that the food was plant-based. I generally don’t eat plant-based, but I really enjoy it. The food was absolutely exquisite, the setting’s absolutely beautiful. It’s the most unique, quirky place, really really different, really something really unusual, and the staff were amazing.

Serena Edwards

So the tour leader we had, she was extremely knowledgeable. She was lovely, you could ask her anything, she absolutely knew her stuff. You’ve got lots of eco-friendly hotels; they are doing the right thing, they are doing what they can to reduce their carbon footprint. My highlight was this housing here, where [the community is] fully sustainable, and I believe the only fully sustainable [residential] development in Europe, maybe the world. You can just come and paint what you want, and also the fact that they’ve set it up in a way that artists can actually have a space to use and create.

Adriana Patchton

I would recommend this experience for people who want to go a little bit off from the track. I have personally never seen this part of Amsterdam. I think it’s an amazing place for photographers because they all like this urban style. I definitely think it’s worth taking the guide. If you’re taking part with an Intrepid group, I think the knowledge which the guide’s got… it was definitely worth having this guide which can, you know, answer our questions.

Laura Sigsworth

Travelling by Eurostar is so much nicer than flying. It’s really civilized, especially if you choose Eurostar Premier, you’ve got the lounge before you go in. The check-in process was really smooth, and before we knew it, we were in Paris. I 100% recommend it.

Adriana Patchton

I’ve been always travelling by plane, and all of a sudden, you don’t have luggage limits, you don’t need to be worried about your kilograms. I strongly believe that it’s worth upgrading to the Premier class because you feel a little bit more luxurious.

Serena Edwards

[If clients are] looking at the ease of coming to either Paris or Amsterdam, look at the train. It’s a much nicer option. It’s much easier.

Donna Minett

Intrepid trips are fantastic because the groups are small, the tours that we’ve done are really off the beaten track, and they’re something really different.