Travel + Leisure Names The Boat Company a 2026 Global Vision Award Winner
The Boat Company Wins Travel + Leisure Global Vision Award
For nearly five decades, The Boat Company has operated with a simple belief: travel should protect the places it explores.
Today, that philosophy has been recognized on a global stage.
Travel + Leisure has named The Boat Company a 2026 Global Vision Award winner, honoring leaders in sustainable travel who are shaping the future of responsible exploration.
The recognition places The Boat Company among a small group of organizations advancing environmental stewardship within the travel industry.
A Different Kind of Cruise
Founded in 1979, The Boat Company operates two small expedition vessels — M/V Liseron and M/V Mist Cove — carrying just 20–24 guests through Southeast Alaska each week.
These voyages travel the remote waterways of the Tongass National Forest, where guests explore by kayak, skiff, and trail while learning from naturalist guides about one of the last remaining temperate rainforests on Earth.
Travel That Protects the Place It Visits
What sets The Boat Company apart is its nonprofit model.
Revenue from voyages helps support conservation initiatives throughout Southeast Alaska, including partnerships with organizations such as Earthjustice, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and regional groups working to protect fisheries, wildlife habitat, and local communities.
This approach reflects the vision of founder Michael McIntosh, who created the company after witnessing both the beauty of Alaska and the threats facing its wilderness.
Today, his son Hunter McIntosh continues that mission as president of The Boat Company.
A Legacy of Stewardship
“I am humbled and honored by this award,” said Hunter McIntosh. “My father founded The Boat Company with the belief that people who experience wild places will want to protect them.”
“Every member of our crew — from naturalists to chefs — shares that purpose. Many of our guests return home as advocates for the Tongass and the communities that depend on it.”
About the Global Vision Awards
Each year, Travel + Leisure presents Global Vision Awards to individuals, companies, and destinations advancing sustainable travel.
The awards recognize organizations that are helping shape a more responsible future for tourism.