Seabourn business development manager Claire Rose explains how her role is changing and what this means for travel agents.
How has being ‘on the road’ and meeting agents changed in recent times?
Face-to-face meetings are really valuable in terms of personal connection, however advances in technology enable us to achieve so much more, and be more time efficient.
The changing landscape of the industry means that it is so much easier to connect with partners who work remotely from all over the UK.
What key Seabourn selling points are you focusing on when meeting agents?
There are three key areas: our ultra-luxury all-inclusive product, how ultra-luxury feels with Seabourn, and our Seabourn Moments concept, which our on-board team strive to create.
One of my goals has been to give partners the confidence to sell ultra-luxury and expedition.
Personal experience is key, and, through our fam trip programme, we are delighted that many agent partners have been able to experience their own Seabourn Moments this year.

What are the current challenges in agent training?
The good news is that we now have the technology to reach more agent partners with webinars and in-person training, such as our Expedition Rendezvous events, which took place in small cinemas and screening rooms around the country this spring.
I guess the challenge is to ensure that partners also engage with the online sales and marketing tools we have available, such as our Seabourn Academy training and our trade website GoSeabourn, which offers user-friendly access to all the resources partners need.
How do you think the role of a BDM is changing?
My time management now looks very different. I spend less time physically travelling from account to account and more time talking on virtual calls and providing follow up.
Having that technology means we are all working in a much faster moving field with an expectation (and the ability) to bring product to market and share with partners.