Leigh Barnes

President, North America, Intrepid Travel
Intrepid US Inc.

2026 Phocuswright Conference speaker

Leigh Barnes President, North America, Intrepid Travel
Leigh is President of North America at Intrepid Travel, where he leads the company’s growth across the U.S., its fastest-growing market, and Canada. He oversees direct and industry sales, marketing, and operations, along with major commercial partnerships including REI Co-op and Air Canada Vacations. Previously Chief Purpose Officer and then Chief Customer Officer, he’s been instrumental in building Intrepid’s reputation as a purpose-led, customer-focused organization. He is also a board member of The Intrepid Foundation, the company’s non-profit which has raised more than AU$20 million since its inception over 20 years ago. Outside of work, Leigh is an avid supporter of the local arts scene and a keen ocean swimmer – even in the frosty waters of the Pacific Northwest where he is based.

Sessions

Tuesday, November 17, 2026
3:50 PM – 4:35 PM EST

The Social Booking Path: Social Discovery and the New Path to Booking

Short-form video now shapes where travelers go before they open a search engine or OTA. This roundtable examines how creator content and in-app booking are shrinking the gap between inspiration and purchase. Experts will discuss what makes social content credible enough to book on, where the path still breaks down and whether social commerce creates new demand or reroutes existing bookings. The discussion also covers attribution, budget allocation and who owns the traveler relationship when discovery starts on a social platform.

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