Expedition cruise travellers ‘evolving’ beyond demographics

The Expedition Cruise Network’s latest survey of its operators has found growing trends in younger and luxury travellers, among others.

The trade body’s survey for the first half of the year found operator members reported more younger passengers, multi-generational groups and solo travellers, while a third said the strongest growth was in the 46-55 and 55-65 brackets.

At its summer event in London for operators and agents, chief executive Akvile Marozaite said: “Who travels on expedition ships is evolving.

“I would like to make a bold statement that anyone with time, resources and reasonable fitness is an expedition traveller.”

Marozaite highlighted the latest Amex trends report which found “demographics no longer predict what people are doing”.

She said: “You have foodies and millennials travelling to dine, luxury travellers in a very young age group and so on.

“Demographics no longer predict what people are doing and there’s definitely more diversity among luxury travellers as well.”

The trade body’s survey of its members covering the first half of this year also found a third (27%) of its members said the UK market had grown faster than other markets.

At the same time, nearly half (46%) found the UK was “keeping pace” with other markets, meaning a combined total of 73% found it was growing “as fast or faster” than other markets.

Strong and consistent demand for Antarctica kept it in the top spot for sales, followed by Svalbard, Greenland, Alaska and the Northwest Passage.

However, 60% of ECN operator members reported “increased interest” for warm water regions in Indonesia, the Pacific, the Amazon and Africa.

Within that, the Galapagos “returned to year-round popularity” after an interruption last year due to a state of emergency in Ecuador.

Booking trends showed more short-term and long-term bookings, with the curve for Antarctica trips lengthening.

Marozaite highlighted challenges facing the sector such as the cost of operations and airfare, political and economic uncertainty, regulatory pressures particularly in places like Svalbard, low general awareness and misconception about it being solely in the polar regions.

New operators entering the market and “diluting expeditions” and price competition affecting the “perceived value” were also potential barriers to new customers in the sector.

However, she stressed the vast majority (95%) of operator members said they were “positive or very positive” about the future of expedition cruising in the next two to three years with members foreseeing further fleet expansion, polar hotels and new onboard experiences developed.

Marozaite added: “There is still a lot of work we have to be doing as the travel trade community with clients, but the future of expedition looks very bright.”