National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions has hailed the value of trade ship visits after an agent secured a £45,000 booking within four days of getting on board

The two-day event took place on 22-23 May in Edinburgh and saw 20 agents take a tour of National Geographic Endurance, watch product presentations from both the line and Expedition Cruise Network (ECN) representatives, stay overnight at Malmaison Edinburgh, and participate in a photography workshop led by a National Geographic photographer.

During the ship tour, Impala Adventure Travel UK’s Emma Sowden shared pictures of the vessel with one of her clients and, within four days, they had confirmed a £45,000 booking for a 2027 Svalbard expedition.

“I can’t express how valuable it was to see the ship first hand and have access to the UK team to ask questions and build relations over the two days,” said Sowden.

“I already had a client interested in Svalbard and as soon as I stepped on board I knew this was the perfect match for him. I sent him images from the visit and he booked and paid his deposit within four days. I am over the moon!”

Danielle Bates, head of UK sales, said: “It’s incredibly important for agents to experience first hand not only the vessel itself, but the wider National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions experience.

“From exploring Edinburgh and meeting our expedition team to participating in the photography workshop, every element helps agents truly understand how we position the brand and why what we offer is so unique.

“The booking confirmed just four days after the event is testament to the impact these experiences can have and we are so excited for all that is to come.”

Akvile Marozaite, ECN chief executive, said: “The response to this event was phenomenal and demonstrated the growing appetite within the trade for authentic expedition cruise experiences.

“Giving agents meaningful access to the product, the people and the philosophy behind the brand is invaluable, and we are delighted to have had the opportunity to experience it with National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions on this first Edinburgh ship visit.”