Clia will hold its first expedition showcase next summer in the town of Longyearbyen, in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago.
Andy Harmer, Clia UK and Ireland managing director, told delegates at Clia’s annual forum: “One brand new event for 2025 will be heading to the Arctic. It’s never been done before, and we will take a small group to Svalbard which is very exciting.
“We will open registration very, very soon, but it’s an opportunity to visit four expedition cruise ships, plus the destination and take part in excursions.”
The trip will have limited places for agents and take place between July 16 and 20.
Ship visits will be provided by AE Expeditions, Ponant, Quark Expeditions and Swan Hellenic.
Also new for 2025 will be the Art of Selling Cruise event in Leeds on July 3, plus a UK-wide line-up of one-day forums for agents focused on growing sectors of the cruise industry, such as river and expedition.
There will be a forum dedicated to expedition cruising in London on March 20, one to luxury in Manchester on June 18, another to yacht and small-ship sailing in Birmingham on September 4, and finally, one for river cruise in Glasgow on October 23.
These events are in addition to the Expedition Champion and River Champion six-month hybrid learning programmes which will have space for 70 frontline agents in the second half of next year.
Clia’s annual river cruise conference for 2025 was its fastest-selling event ever, Harmer revealed, and will take place in Budapest between March 8 and 10. There is currently a waitlist for the event.
The annual flagship conference will be held in Southampton over three days from May 22, and will include ship visits, conference sessions, a trade fair and sailaway party.