The Expedition Cruise Network is a new B2B membership organisation designed to connect cruise lines and agents. Its founders Martin Johnson and Akvile Marozaite explain how it will work.

How did the idea for the Expedition Cruise Network emerge?

The idea came from several conversations that Martin had with various expedition cruise operators who all felt like the sector has developed significantly over recent years but is still hugely underrepresented in the travel market.

We soon realised there was huge potential to what could be achieved by a number of the operators working collaboratively.

After several more months of consultation, research and planning, the Expedition Cruise Network (ECN) was born.

What are your key objectives?

The ECN is a commercial B2B membership organisation whose purpose is to connect expedition cruise operators with travel-trade professionals, in order to promote expedition cruising as an incredible choice for travellers from across the world.

We are also a voice for the sector, to represent it in a authentic, trustworthy and consistent manner.

How will you achieve these objectives?

Our first objective is to create a great database of travel trade professionals who are either already selling expedition cruising or have a real interest in doing so.

Expedition cruising is often sold by a wide variety of travel trade professionals including travel agents, tour operators and travel designers, but we also want to appeal to those that support those sales including product, marketing and managers.

The organisation is made up of Akvile as CEO, Martin as chairman and an advisory panel of 12 leading expedition cruise members who will help steer the ECN to ensure it delivers great value to its members and achieves its key objectives.

We also intend to highlight and discuss key challenges to the sector, including climate change, sustainability and ensuring our expedition cruise members are always exploring these wonderful but often sensitive areas in the best way possible.

Each year, the ECN will also create an insights report, based on the feedback of our travel trade members, which will help everyone make informed decisions on a variety of key aspects from the expedition cruising market.

Why is now the right time for the ECN?

Expedition cruising is the fastest growing sector in cruising industry. In the last couple of years, the sector has doubled in size. In addition to this, research shows interest in Antarctica and Arctic cruises has increased.

As the sector matures, it is a great time to strengthen its position in the wider industry by giving it its own voice.

Sustainability will also play a role in consumer choices and at ECN we believe that the sector has to grow with its commitment to meet UN targets for zero emissions by 2050.

As an organisation we will support our expedition cruise and travel trade members by providing educational tools and keeping the sustainability topic at the forefront.

How will the network work with travel agents?

Our travel trade members will benefit from access to our directory of expedition cruise members including contacts, destination information, customised webinars and learning opportunities, events, fam trips and more.

Our blog and newsletters will feature various topics pertinent to expedition cruising and provide a platform for our expedition cruise brands to showcase the various elements of expedition cruising.

We are also planning virtual and face-to-face expedition cruise conferences in the future.

How will you spread the message about the network?

We will do this through our personal networks, engaging expedition cruising brands and providing our travel trade members with authentic, reliable and consistent content that helps them to sell expedition cruising and become advocates of this form of travel.

To join the Expedition Cruise Network, visit – expeditioncruisenetwork.com

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