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Fred Holidays appoints first UK head of sales

Danielle Bates Fred Holidays

Fred Holidays, the UK GSA for Lindblad Expeditions, has appointed Danielle Bates to the newly created role of head of UK sales

Bates, who joins having spent 15 years at Fred Olsen Travel, will be responsible for managing the relationship between Fred Holidays and Lindblad Expeditions while enhancing the expedition line’s brand exposure and market share in the UK.

The new role will report into Tricia Birmingham, director of tour operations at Fred. Holidays, as well as Christine Stevens, vice president of national, strategic and international accounts for Lindblad Expeditions.

Fred Holidays was announced as the general sales agent (GSA) for the expedition cruise line earlier this month, where it will work with the line to create a targeted sales, marketing and public relations campaign aimed at the UK market.

Birmingham said: “I am delighted that Danielle will be joining our team and I am confident that her experience and passion for niche cruising will prove successful in helping us showcase the exciting range of product that Lindblad Expeditions has to offer and to build the business.

“Expedition cruising is an area that is growing quickly in the UK and we are excited to be launching the fantastic National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions co-brand into the market.”

Bates added: “I am beyond excited to be joining Lindblad Expeditions as the National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions co-brand begins its journey in the UK market. I look forward to building and developing key relationships across the trade in the coming months who will be instrumental in our success.”

Earlier this week the Expedition Cruise Network (ECN) hosted its inaugural conference, with industry experts revealing that warmer cruise destinations such as the Seychelles and Africa are expected to see an increase in popularity next year.

CEO of the ECN, Akvile Marozaite, told Cruise Trade News that travellers are increasingly looking to explore other wild places around the world that are not necessarily in the polar regions.

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