CONFERENCE Clia Conference 2025: About 850 agents hear cruise industry insights


Expedition experts pledge to give agents more clarity


T


he expedition sector needs to develop a better definition of what it does to help agents sell the


product, delegates at this year’s Clia Conference heard. In a pre-conference survey, 68%


of delegates said they had no or little knowledge of expedition cruising, 33% cited lack of knowledge as their biggest barrier, and 34% said they did not have the “right customers”. Only 3% said expedition cruise


sales accounted for 25% or more of their businesses. Ponant’s group deputy chief


executive for global business, Belinda Hindmarsh, acknowledged there was “a real need to explain what we do” in expedition. She empathised with new-to-cruise customers and agents because she had experienced “a steep learning curve” since joining the industry two years ago. Hindmarsh said: “Expedition is


about taking guests to places that they wouldn’t otherwise reach.


Small vessels


like ours are able to get closer and take passengers out several times a day


“I had never been on a cruise


before taking the role, and I certainly hadn’t been on an expedition cruise, and I was equally lost on what on earth this was all about.” Echoing speakers at a recent Clia


round-table (Travel Weekly, May 15), Quark Expeditions president Sam Seward said operators needed to emphasise the varying sizes of their vessels and capabilities to better engage with agents. “One of the important things


to know when selling this sort of expedition travel is that different- sized vessels have different access and capabilities [in the polar regions because of strict regulation],” he said.


“Small vessels like ours are able


to get closer and take passengers out several times a day, while others have to stay farther out from the coast.” Shorter fly-cruises to Antarctica,


Svalbard expeditions, Greenland voyages and European river cruises were all cited as “ideal” options for new-to-cruise and new-to-expedition travellers. Hindmarsh said expedition


inclusions such as food, drinks, equipment and excursions were important selling points, while Seward highlighted “flexibility and choice” throughout the season and commission opportunities for agents. Meanwhile, Seabourn president


Mark Tamis encouraged agents to talk about onboard education programmes with customers. “Our guests in this stage of life


really want to learn,” Tamis said. “Learning [throughout your] entire life is very important and you can tie it directly to where we are visiting.”


High-spending customers ‘not something to be feared’


Agents were urged to “not be afraid of luxury clients” and to tap into growing opportunities in the sector. The luxury market is forecast to grow by 10%


by 2028, with increasing numbers of Gen X, multigenerational and solo travellers. Research by Regent Seven Seas Cruises found


there were 436,000 potential luxury cruisers in the UK, rising to 6.6 million globally. Steve Odell, Regent and Oceania


Cruises’ international and consumer sales senior vice-president, told delegates: “Do not be afraid of luxury or the customer and what they are prepared to spend. People who are buying luxury in other areas of their


10 29 MAY 2025 Steve Odell


life have the propensity to spend and it’s just how they spend it. Do not be afraid to ask questions.” Speaking to Travel Weekly after his session, Odell


added: “There’s an opportunity to invest in luxury and become a player in it. There aren’t enough travel agents actively selling luxury. The UK has the potential to be so much bigger [in the luxury market], particularly with the concentration of wealth here and propensity to travel.” Odell insisted “every agent has a


luxury client”. He said he regarded potential


clients as those who typically fly business or first class, stay in private villas and like to explore bucket-list destinations and activities.


High-end hotel ship launc


Luxury hotel brands entering the cruise industry will bring growth and opportunities into the sector, leading executives told the Clia Conference. In the next four years, 56 new luxury


ships will enter the market, 30% of which will have capacity for fewer than 1,000 passengers, including several from hotel brands such as The Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons due to enter service from 2026. Regent Seven Seas and Oceania Cruises’


Steve Odell said: “Personally, I think hotels like Four Seasons and The Ritz-Carlton entering the sector is the best thing that has happened to the cruise industry for the past few years.”


travelweekly.co.uk


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52