However, the Expedition Cruise Network (ECN) believes there is still room for further growth in the UK market, and for members to grow their share of trade business, with the sector potentially on the cusp of a breakthrough year.
New data published by the ECN on Friday (8 December) in its 2023/24 insights report reveals 98% of agents saw their expedition cruise business either grow (33%) or stay the same (65%) over the past year.
The sample of 160 agents was drawn from both ECN agent members and non-agent members who have engaged with the group. Meanwhile, seven in 10 of the 17 ECN tour operator members polled said their businesses grew this year, with none reporting any contraction.
However, only a third of ECN operator members generate more than 20% of their business from agents in the UK. "There is still growth in this market," said ECN chief executive Akvile Marozaite.
"Travel trade professionals need to think expedition cruise when it comes to capitalising on the continuing demand for personalised, small-group, exclusive, experimental travel experiences."
So against this backdrop, will 2024 be the year expedition cruise cracks the trade, and vice verse, or is there work yet to be done?
What are the challenges?
According to the ECN data, the biggest issues preventing agents from selling more expedition cruise product are finding the right customers (61%), lacking first-hand experience (58%) and lacking product knowledge (33%).
This landscape is reflected in figures from ECN’s survey of operator members; 59% said they believe agents lack company brand awareness, while more than a third (35%) said they believe there is a lack of knowledge among agents when it comes to expedition cruise destinations.
Agents’ key ask of ECN operator members is a focus on providing face-to-face help in the form of fam trips and ship visits instead of relying on digital resources.
One in four agents also said operators weren’t doing enough to differentiate their products; the agents said it would be helpful if operators were to identify the unique selling point for each of their products. They also sought more social media market tools and general training.
Factoring in sustainability
Sustainability is set to play an increasingly significant role in how expedition cruising product is operated and sold over the coming years, with 71% of agent respondents stating operators need to reduce the impact on the environment of their operations.
However, while more than four in five (83%) ECN operator members have a sustainability charter, with 71% of them measuring their greenhouse impact, only 41% publicly disclose their emissions.
