Speaking at Clia’s RiverView conference in Budapest on Sunday (20 March), Pam Hoffee said Avalon had seen “some slowdown in the last few weeks” around demand for Danube sailings following Russia’s invasion last month.
Hoffee said she had heard US-based agents receiving concerned calls from clients not wanting to take their Danube cruises visiting the region as they were feeling guilty enjoying themselves amid the ongoing conflict.
“Some clients are saying ‘I feel bad celebrating and being on a luxury ship, I don’t want to do that’,” she told Clia delegates.
However, Hoffee argued agents were well-placed to discuss the need for travellers to visit those destinations, such as Budapest, in order to financially help locals supporting Ukrainian refugees.
“If we don’t come and put money into the economies of these countries, then they won’t be able to properly support refugees – I think if you’re getting those calls [from customers] that’s a really important message to give."
Hoffee admitted customer fears over safety were "harder to overcome” and encouraged agents to try work through any concerns by discussing with clients.
Uniworld chief executive and president Ellen Bettridge said she had been contacted by a guest nervous to travel to Budapest due to the situation in Ukraine.
Bettridge told the conference how she had looked to reassure the client and was planning to document her own travel experiences to the city to put his mind at ease.
“It’s all about trying to explain to people how things actually are. I don’t think the media coverage does us any good,” she added.
Bettridge said the cruise sector “needed to be very cautious and aware” of how things were developing and stressed that her line “was always monitoring the situation”.
“I know every cruise line would never take their crew, their ships and their customers into harm’s way,” she added.
Discussing the Ukraine conflict during his opening address, Clia UK and Ireland chair and Royal Caribbean International’s vice-president EMEA, Ben Bouldin, said he appreciated many in the industry “have significant concerns about the events taking place on our doorstep”.
“Our best wishes and thoughts go to everyone who is impacted,” he said, later telling delegates how he believed “tourism is a force for good”.
“Travel broadens the mind. That’s been true for centuries and it will remain that way. It brings cultures together and brings people together and introduces a balance of thinking that is so important to this world.
“For those of us working in travel, we hold on to those values. Our industry is resilient – but it’s also agile – and we’ve demonstrated a huge ability to overcome adversity and we will continue to do that.”
During the conference, suitcases full of toiletries and hygiene products for Ukrainian refugees were donated by delegates with a collection for the Hungarian Red Cross organised by Clia at the event hotel.
