Leatherback Travel has enjoyed a meteoric rise, ranking fifth on the 2025 AFR Fast 100 list and earning the title of Australia\u2019s fastest-growing travel company.<\/strong><\/p>\n Co-founded in Melbourne in 2019 by Matthew Newton and Rebeca Suarez, Leatherback has since expanded to 12 niche travel brands, each catering to travellers the pair believe have been overlooked by the wider industry.<\/p>\n From adventurous women seeking more than wellness retreats to solo travellers fed up with paying a premium to travel alone, the company has built its business around underserved markets and a desire for more authentic cultural connections.<\/p>\n It has also grown from hiring its first employee in July 2022 to a workforce of 62.<\/p>\n But behind that rapid expansion is an unusual rule: new employees aren\u2019t allowed to start their normal work until they\u2019ve memorised the company\u2019s operating principles.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a requirement that Newton says has been a game changer for the business.<\/p>\n Their first two days are spent learning the company\u2019s principles and values alongside an onboarding buddy. Until they\u2019ve committed them to memory, they don\u2019t get access to their usual work systems.<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t get to take your seat at the table unless you show that this matters to you as much as you say it matters,\u201d Newton told Travel Weekly.<\/em><\/p>\n The idea is simple. Rather than letting company values gather dust on a wall, Leatherback wants every employee to know them by heart.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the things that defines a culture is shared language,\u201d Newton explained.<\/p>\n \u201cNow every single person, the whole company knows that every single person knows the terminology, knows the language, knows how to communicate, and that was a real unblock for the company.\u201d<\/p>\n The approach comes as new research highlights a growing disconnect between the travel industry\u2019s stated values and how they operate in practice.<\/p>\n Research by Expedia Australia and New Zealand country director Philippa Durant found that while travel companies have no shortage of good intentions, many struggle to embed purpose into their day-to-day operations and commercial performance.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/travelweekly.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Rebeca-and-Mat-scaled.jpeg\"\/)
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