Agents ‘should target non-cruise travellers’ to grow expedition sales

Agents should target “non-cruise” audiences to grow expedition sales and generate more repeat business, the Expedition Cruise Network (ECN) conference heard.

New-to-cruise clients and those who “swear they would never cruise” were among the target groups highlighted by operators, as were experienced travellers, multi-generational groups and solo customers.

Panellists urged agents to consider targeting “outside demographic” and assess the attitude of potential customers to see if expedition would be a good fit.

Captain Dan Blanchard, founder of UnCruise Adventures, told delegates: “Demographics are trash [when talking about prospective expedition clients].

“It is psychographic so you have to seek that out and get them to the right place and you will get the people who swear they would never cruise, which is a huge population.”

 

Blanchard described the ideal expedition client that agents should be looking for as “like me”, with a past spent travelling the world and an attitude for adventure.

 

More: Agents urged to look beyond traditional cruisers to boost expedition sales

 

He stressed the vessel was “secondary” and just “a tool” to reach different destinations, rather than the main selling point.

 

On a separate panel, James Rodriguez, Atlas Ocean Voyages president, said bringing non-cruisers into expedition was “a great benefit” for the sector and for agents, arguing that such clients would become repeat bookers.

 

He said prior to starting to work in expedition, Antarctica was “probably on the lowest rung” of his future trips, but a trip there upon starting his role changed his mind.

 

“My entire perspective of the industry changed,” he said. “It changed my entire perspective of what a cruise is and what an expedition is, and how there are distinct attributes to both.”

 

He added his former experience at mainstream cruise lines had taught him “not to even try to market to non-cruisers”, as it was “too hard to convert people”, but expedition was a different case.

 

“There is only one way to get to the poles, which is on a cruise,” he said.

 

“So, one of the benefits is this influx of younger clientele who have never been on a cruise before, but have to get there some way, and they get on an expedition, and after a couple of days, their ideas of what a cruise was in their head is dispelled.”

 

Nathaniel Sherborne, HX vice-president and managing director for Europe and global sales enablement, revealed 90% of the people sailing on the line’s ships in the last year were newcomers to the sector and the range of demographics on board its ships was “frankly surprising” to him.

 

He said the average view was that expedition clients were in their early 50s or empty nesters with disposable income, but the reality was the age range could “easily” be from 30 to 100 years old on HX ships, with a rise in multi-generational bookings.

 

More: Expedition cruise travellers ‘evolving’ beyond demographics

 

Sherborne said this was “a real benefit” and “an amazing opportunity” for the sector, and agents should target those with “a spirit of adventure” wanting to tick off bucket list items as well as those with disposable income “looking for experiential luxury”.

 

However, he added the caveat that he would “not go right into buying into the family market” at this stage of the sector’s maturity, because there was “so much opportunity elsewhere”.

 

Sherborne said “more low-hanging fruit” for expedition would be guests considering a safari for a holiday or honeymoon.

 

Belinda Hindmarsh, group deputy chief executive of global business for Ponant, said she would have described herself as “would never cruise" before she started in the role two years ago.

 

She said: “I thought I had seen everything, and suddenly my eyes opened up to this entire segment of travel. 

 

“It is an amazing opportunity to see new and exciting destinations and interact with cultures from the sea. It is an incredible way to travel which hadn’t been clear to me.”

 

Hindmarsh highlighted “growing opportunities” in new-to-cruise and solo passengers, which “all points to an open-mindedness of people who travel internationally”.

 

She revealed the UK and Ireland was the line’s leading market for solos, with more than 70% of all solo passengers onboard being women.

 

Francesco Galli Zugaro, founder of Aqua Expeditions, similarly urged agents to go after “experienced travellers” to grow sales.

 

He said: “Obviously for all our guests and most of the guests you are sending us, this is not their first time doing long-haul travel.

 

“What brings them together is that sense of common exploration and adventure, without sacrificing the creature comforts.”