Peter Shanks, Silversea Cruises


Halls: We hold the future of these places in our hands


TV broadcaster Monty Halls said the best way to protect delicate ecosystems was to send customers there. Halls, a marine biologist


and former Royal Marines officer, said: “We are the first generation in the history of mankind that is able to explore these places for the first time. “The best way to protect


Shanks: Expedition cruise set to grow 30% by 2023


The expedition cruise sector is expected to grow by 30% over the next four years as 28 ships come into the market.


Silversea’s UK managing


director, Peter Shanks, predicted a bright future for the sector when he cited results from a survey of the 100 agent delegates who attended last Thursday’s forum in central London.


“You already have these guests; you need to talk to them about expedition”


Shanks revealed that 90% of


agents said they expected sales to grow in the next five years. However, only 10% of agents


‘Watch Blue Planet to boost your sales’


Agents have been told they “can never know too much” about expedition cruise and have been urged to watch Blue Planet and other nature programmes to boost their knowledge. Leon Hand, Celebrity Cruises’ agent trainer, advised agents to


watch YouTube, look at social media and read testimonials to learn more about the sector. He said: “You can never know too much – the more you know, the more powerful it is. Do your homework. Impress the customers and they will be more likely to book with you.” Hand also hailed the impact of broadcaster David Attenborough


through programmes such as the BBC’s Blue Planet. “Now everyone, even if they are not concerned about [climate change], is aware of it,” he added. Cruise writer Sue Bryant said: “Having a real passion [for expedition] is infectious. If a client can feel your passion, they will book.”


surveyed described their knowledge of expedition cruise as “excellent” and just 7% said their expedition cruise line knowledge was “excellent”. Shanks, who is chair of the Clia


expedition working group, said: “The good news for agents is you already have these guests, but you need to talk to them about the incredible bucket-list experience. “We are expecting 30% growth [of berth capacity] over the next four years at least.” Shanks said the average


expedition booking was between £10,000 and £20,000. He revealed that Silversea’s


first expedition world cruise in 2021 had already had two bookings in excess of £300,000 after it went on sale earlier this month. “It is really great that Clia has


recognised expedition,” he said. “Think what Clia has done for cruise in the last 10 years and what it has done for river over the last two or three years; we can do the same thing by supporting travel agents selling expedition.”


4 April 2019 travelweekly.co.uk 15


delicate ecosystems is to take tourists there. We hold the future of these places in our hands.” He told agents to instruct


customers to buy new clothes when visiting destinations such as the Galapagos Islands, where strict environmental regulation is in place. “Tell your clients to buy new gear before they go – bio- security is everything,” he said. In 2007-08, 853 visitors carrying 2,600 seeds had unwittingly introduced various plant species to Antarctica. Although the Galapagos has 600 native species of plant, there are now 870 introduced species – 46% of which had been brought in deliberately, Halls said. “There is an impact without a


doubt,” he said. An expedition cruise, he


said, was one of the “most sustainable” ways of seeing the Galapagos Islands.


Monty Halls


PICTURES: PHIL GAMMON


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