The Expedition Cruise Network (ECN) has unveiled two new cruise operator members, along with plans for a series of webinars for the travel trade.
Oceanwide Expeditions and Polar Latitudes will join the network, bringing the membership of cruise operators up to 16.
Launched in April, the organisation also has 330 trade professionals who have signed up to the trade membership portal.
During its first event on Tuesday (May 16), chairman Martin Johnson and chief executive Akvile Mazoraite that ECN will hold a series of expedition cruising webinars.
Keynote speakers will be drawn from the network’s expedition cruise members as well as areas such as marine sustainable tourism.
More: Expedition Cruise Network welcomes three new members
The first will take place on May 18, entitled How to Sell Expedition Cruising. The following webinars will be: Sustainability and Responsible Travel in Expedition Cruising (June 28); Expedition cruising beyond Polar regions: shining a light on global expedition cruising destinations (July 19); Selling luxury expedition cruising (August 17); Polar Matters: selling Antarctica, Arctic and beyond (October 18); Galapagos and South America: small yacht and expedition cruising (November 22); and A festive webinar edition: a year of expeditions, ECN top picks (December 12).
As the organisation grows, the ECN will provide intelligence and analysis about the sector’s trends.
From its first survey of members this week, every member reported strong growth in the first quarter of 2023; new entrants to the market; and price points starting at £5,000.
Marozaite said: “We are pleased to report that all of our Expedition Cruise Network members have reported growth or significant growth in the first quarter of 2023.
“Antarctica is by far and away the best performing destination, with the northern polar region and the Galapagos Islands the next most popular destinations, while Polynesia and Patagonia were specified as booking well too.
“Members are providing itineraries formerly accessible to just the hardiest explorers to destinations including Greenland, Svalbard and the Northwest Passage.
“West Africa and Western Australia are other new headline-grabbing itineraries to dramatic landscapes, unique cultures and wildlife.
“The expedition cruising experience is quite different from traditional cruising – not only providing the opportunity to explore remote destinations safely and in comfort, and encounter rare wildlife, but offering a great deal of time spent outside of the ship, enjoying life on the water in the likes of zodiacs, paddleboards and kayaks with expert naturalists.
“This is a dynamic and increasingly competitive market with new entrants entering the sector all the time.
“Two members also report increased trends for customers booking both very early and last minute – perhaps due to discounting cited by one member.
“All our members aim to leave a minimal footprint due to today’s highly energy-efficient, brand-new generation of low-energy vessels, while customers are increasingly becoming better informed with an increasingly younger demographic.”
She added that members aim to increase trade support; improve their sustainability credentials and develop new itineraries.