International Expeditions

International Expeditions (IE) is a travel company specializing in small-group adventure travel. The company was founded in 1980 and is located in Helena, Alabama. It is owned by TUI Group.

International Expeditions provides small-group adventure experiences in various exotic countries. These include land-based trips to places like Ecuador, Kenya, Tanzania and Patagonia, as well as cruise excursions in notable wildlife and natural areas such as the Peruvian Amazon and Galapagos Islands. While it focuses primarily on land-based activities, IE charters a variety of riverboats and yachts for cruise programs in Patagonia, India, Cuba, the Amazon and Galapagos. The company's cruise adventures are tailored for customers who are "50+ years old," "well educated," and "affluent."

IE was a subsidiary of Tui Group, a multinational travel and tourism company headquartered in Hannover, Germany. It is a part of the Adventure Specialist Group within TUI's Specialist Group, which also includes AmeriCan Adventures, Exodus, Grand American Adventures, Headwater, Quark Expeditions, Sawadee, TrekAmerica, World Challenge, and Zegrahm Expeditions. IE is currently managed by Travelopia, the worlds largest collection of specialist travel brands.

International Expeditions was co-founded by Dr. Richard Ryel and Steve Cox. Ryel also served as the Chairman of the Board of the International Ecotourism Society. Van Perry was appointed the president of International Expeditions in November 2011. He is also the president of Zegrahm Expeditions, an adventure travel company located in Seattle, Washington.

In April 2016, a cabin on Estrella Amazonica caught fire, killing Drs. Larry and Christy Hammer, who were guests on a departure chartered by IE. According to investigators hired by the family, the fire was likely caused by a power strip, which lacked surge protection and safety and flammability ratings. The family also claims that the Hammers' room lacked an in-room fire alarm. Surveillance video footage allegedly shows that it took the Estrella Amazonica's crew more than 22 minutes to extract Dr. Larry Hammer from the room after the fire was located; and another six minutes to extract Dr. Christy Hammer.

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