Speaking to TTG, the line’s recently appointed head of sales for UK and Ireland, Augustus Lonsdale, said he will seek to grow the company’s sales team as the business continues to expand its presence in the UK.
"Bookings have certainly been strong so far this year and it’s been a good split of travel for 2023, 2024 and 2025, which is positive for us when it comes to building a solid foundation," the TTG 30 under 30 alumni continued.
Lonsdale said the line saw one of its strongest-ever booking weeks during July. "So things are starting to look up and business is on the move," he added.
He will now look to capitalise on this momentum by growing Windstar’s distribution channels in the UK through the addition of more agent partners through additional fam trips, ship visits and virtual and in-person training events.
"We’ve got some really strong agent rates in the market as well," he continued. "It’s a bit of a niche product, so the more people who see it, the more people will understand it and then be able to sell it."
Crucial to Windstar’s ambitious growth plans will be additional sales staff to support the expansion. "If we meet our growth goals then we’ll have to bring more people in," Lonsdale reasoned.
"The company, from a global perspective, is really committed to the UK, so if we continue to see the growth we are hoping to, then we’re going to need to bring in other people. That’s just the reality and the company is certainly committed to that."
Having recently revamped its three Star-class vessels, which represents a boost in capacity for the line, Lonsdale said the firm has no plans to add any additional vessels to its fleet in the near future.
