Expedition cruising is moving well beyond the poles—and that’s creating a much bigger pool of potential clients for travel advisors. Swan Hellenic, which reported a 170 percent year-over-year increase in revenue in July, is expanding in destinations including Africa and Asia-Pacific while investing heavily in the North American market.
For advisors, that means more opportunities to sell small-ship, experience-driven cruising to clients who may not have previously considered an expedition voyage. We spoke with Swan Hellenic’s Gordon Dirker, Sr. VP, Americas, about what’s driving the line’s growth, where he sees the biggest opportunities ahead and why, as he puts it, “expedition is a mindset, not just a destination.”
Recommend magazine: Swan Hellenic is reporting significant growth this year, including a 170 percent year-over-year revenue increase in July. What do you attribute that momentum to, and what does it tell you about where the expedition market is headed?
Gordon Dirker: We attribute this growth to several factors coming together. Building on our nearly 80-year brand legacy and operating a fleet of three new, modern, purpose-built, boutique sister expedition ships, crewed by some of the best in the industry, Swan Hellenic has continued to gain awareness with consumers and travel advisors alike. As a result, we have successfully secured a healthy mix of group, charter and FIT sales.
In addition, returning guests rate their experiences with Swan among the highest in the industry, turning them into powerful brand ambassadors and building momentum. Our broad destination range, including Antarctica, the Arctic, Asia-Pacific, Africa and Europe, gives new and returning guests many amazing options. The latter group shows strong brand loyalty, which translates into many repeat bookings.
We are also well positioned to serve the rapidly growing number of consumers who travel with a purpose. Those who want more intimate, life-changing experiences and seek to discover and explore less accessible places, meet and mingle with locals, see things others don’t, while learning from experts.
Recommend magazine: From a North American perspective, where do you see the greatest opportunity for Swan Hellenic?
Gordon Dirker: Swan Hellenic has invested heavily in this key source market over the past years. We have a highly professional sales, reservations and marketing team based in our Hallandale, FL offices. This team focuses on maximizing opportunities through partners like Virtuoso, Expedia, Ensemble, TRAVELSAVERS, WESTA and those specialist resellers who have discovered how lucrative and rewarding it is to market and sell Swan Hellenic’s expedition voyages.
U.S. and Canadian travelers have a strong appetite for premium experiential travel and Swan Hellenic offers something particularly relevant to this audience. Our opportunity is to continue building brand awareness and, importantly, to show that expedition cruising is not limited to Antarctica or the Arctic. Destinations such as Africa, the Amazon, Asia-Pacific and other regions allow us to offer the same expedition concept in very different environments. There is great potential for sales growth by bringing that proposition to a wider North American audience.
Recommend magazine: You’ve doubled the 2027 Asia-Pacific program from five to 10 voyages. What gave you the confidence to expand so quickly, and what role do you see travel advisors playing in introducing clients to expedition cruising beyond the polar regions?
Gordon Dirker: After successfully putting Africa on the map as an expedition cruise destination in recent years, we decided to expand further into Asia-Pacific based on both market response, guest demand and our confidence in the destination itself. Asia-Pacific is exceptionally well suited to our concept. It combines extraordinary landscapes, wildlife and biodiversity with some of the world’s richest cultures and histories. All components our discerning guests look for.
What is particularly exciting is the variety of experiences we can offer. In the Philippines and destinations such as Raja Ampat, we will cater to travelers passionate about marine life and snorkeling. Elsewhere, in places such as Guadalcanal, we offer opportunities to explore Second World War history. For Swan Hellenic, expedition is a mindset, not just a destination. You don’t need to be in Antarctica or the Arctic to have a genuine expedition experience.
Travel advisors play a vital role in helping consumers appreciate the full range of experiences available through the expedition cruise model. As we did for Africa, we will work closely with them to continuously educate and inspire our mutual clients, showcasing the benefits of expert-led journeys, high-end small-ship intimacy, cultural immersion and exploration in destinations such as Japan, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and beyond.
Recommend magazine: Looking beyond the growth numbers, what should travel advisors be watching from Swan Hellenic over the next 12 to 18 months?
Gordon Dirker: On the product side, travel advisors can expect Swan Hellenic to continue expanding into destinations where culture, nature, history and exploration come together. Our tagline is “See what others don’t,” and we will continue to build on it. Asia-Pacific will be a particularly important area, but we will also continue developing our presence in other emerging expedition destinations.
Travel advisors should also look closely at the experiences and partnerships we are creating on board and ashore. Our current cooperation with organizations such as SETI and Citizen Science brings research and active participation into the guest experience, allowing travelers not simply to observe a destination, but to understand it better and, in some cases, contribute to actual science projects. Additional and exciting new partnerships and themed voyages are in the works.
With our North American sales team now fully staffed, advisors will have enhanced access to B2B resources across Canada and the USA. Along with a booking portal, advisors can expect more proactive support as we work with them to promote Pied Piper affinity and promotional groups, FIT sales, and, when applicable, half- or even full-charter sales.
