Agents urged to look beyond traditional cruisers to boost expedition sales

Agents have been urged to look beyond traditional cruisers to woo clients who may book expedition sailings because they are like “safaris at sea”.

Andy Tait, AE Expeditions’ senior business development manager for the EMEA region, said the sector is the fastest-growing in cruise and appeals to holidaymakers who like safaris, as well as touring, adventure, history and culture.

“You can transition clients from safaris to expedition,” he said, highlighting cold-water destinations from Antarctica to the Arctic, plus warm-water options in Baja California, Costa Rica and Africa.

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Itineraries enable passengers to view wildlife as diverse as polar bears, penguins, whales and Komodo dragons – hence the terms ‘safari on ice’ or ‘safari on water’, Tait added.

Expedition passenger numbers are on the rise. Clia reported a 22% increase last year, while Tait said AE Expeditions’ UK bookings for January to March were up 50% year on year.

Referring to expedition cruises as a holiday choice, he said: “It’s not a flash in the pan... it will be on rotation with safaris and [big holidays to] Australia, Canada,” he said, noting high price tags mean high commission.

He said clients are not just empty-nesters, with millennials and Gen Z customers in the luxury market in particular seeking “more-focused experiences rather than products”.