Cruise industry veteran Stuart Perl is to head a dedicated sales and marketing office being established in the UK for the first time by AmaWaterways.
The river cruise operator is going alone in the UK after being represented since 2008 by Fred Olsen Travel, which will remain as a preferred travel partner.
AmaWaterways, which runs a fleet of 21 ships around the world, including Europe, Asia and Africa, is to open its own base in Guildford, Surrey, on September 1 with Perl as managing director.
Perl’s career includes stints as marketing director for Cunard Line, managing director for Peter Deilmann River & Ocean Cruises and running his own company as UK representative for river cruise lines selling groups and charters through the UK travel trade.
AmaWaterways was established in 2002 by river cruise veteran Rudi Schreiner and co-owner Kristin Karst.
Schreiner said: “I am grateful for the commitment Fred Olsen Travel has shown to our business over the years, and look forward to continuing our relationship with them as a preferred partner.
“As we transition into our next stage of growth, we are excited about the opportunity that exists and look forward to bringing the beauty of river cruising to the European travel market.”
Perl, who will oversee all of the company’s UK and Europe sales and marketing efforts, said: “River cruising continues to expand in popularity with the today’s active affluent travellers and I look forward to our AmaWaterways team building even stronger relationships with our current trade partners and developing new trade partnerships to ensure that AmaWaterways continues to lead the way in this thriving sector.”