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Riviera's Matt Luscombe: 'We're number one, but we must keep innovating to stay ahead'

The Big Interview
Harry Kemble
1 June 2026

Riviera Travel's new Chief Executive tells TTG's Harry Kemble he is 'cautiously optimistic' the operator and river cruise specialist will achieve record years in 2026 and 2027, despite the effects of the Iran war.

Riviera CEO Matt Luscombe
Credit: Riviera Travel

Riviera Travel chief executive Matt Luscombe started his role on 1 January 2026

For a family man whose travel experience stems mainly from the corporate hotel sector, Matt Luscombe seems to have a fairly deep understanding of what makes solo travellers tick.

That could be because not long after taking over from Phil Hullah as Riviera Travel's Chief Executive – a little more than a month – Luscombe experienced a Riviera tour to Morocco dedicated to solo travellers.

This came soon after Luscombe sailed on the Danube with his wife over Christmas, again with Riviera, before he had even officially started. So my first question then to Luscombe is – did he reveal his true identity on either trip? Or was it strictly incognito?