Tourico Holidays is bolstering its cruise offering by signing its first deal with a river cruise line.
The US-based wholesaler announced at WTM a new partnership with Viking River Cruises, taking the number of cruise lines it works with to 15.
To support the growth of the company’s cruise business, Tourico has appointed Lori Sheller as vice president of cruise development.
Sheller said: “I see incredible growth potential for Tourico Holidays’ cruise business. Signing Viking and providing XML connectivity to our partners is just the beginning – and I’m excited to be part of a team that is constantly innovating on behalf of its customers.”
Tourico has also introduced a new XML connectivity between cruise lines and agents, making it easier for agents to book sailings through the wholesaler as they have access to real-time cabin availability and pricing.
Streve Skidgel, executive vice president of global product development at Tourico Holidays, said: “The cruise industry is one of our fastest growing business segments, so we’ve stepped up our game to meet the demand.
“We’ve optimized our technology to ensure that booking a cruise using the Tourico platform is quick and convenient – and most importantly, highly accurate.
“And we’ve strengthened our inventory by partnering with the wildly popular and rapidly growing cruise supplier, Viking Cruises, opening its inventory to our travel distribution clients – and giving them even more options at unbeatable price points.”