Azamara Cruises has announced a substantial expansion of its UK operations with a new headquarters, strengthened call centre and the placement of several leadership roles in the market

The investment will see the company relocate to Woking from Weybridge, with key global roles such as Julian Poston, director of port operations, and Wayne Fannon, corporate director of food and beverage operations, now being based in the UK.

A further global role to be based in the UK is a new dedicated international groups lead position, created in response to surging demand for bespoke group cruise experiences among Azamara Cruises’ clientele.

To better support the cruise line’s increased international marketing efforts, Azamara has also appointed Rowan Sharma as international junior graphic designer, reporting to Natalie Holder, international marketing manager.

The relocation to Woking, meanwhile, will see new contemporary office facilities designed to host onsite trade partner and global meetings.

“The UK market is absolutely fundamental to our global success,” said David Siewers, chief international sales officer at Azamara Cruises. “This is a market we’re continuously investing in, and our commitment has never been stronger. This underscores the pivotal role the UK hub plays in our worldwide strategy.

“In recent months, we’ve announced three educational Seminars at Sea and an exclusive Masterclass at Sea, established our Partner Advisory Panel, and strengthened our engagement with the UK trade community at every level. Today’s announcement is further demonstration of our determination to become more deeply embedded within the UK travel trade.”