Riviera Travel has praised its travel agent partners for helping it record the best January in the company’s history

Year-to-date, the river cruise line is up 36 per cent in passenger numbers and 42 per cent in revenue versus the same period last year. While river cruise continues to be the driving force, the brand also reported a “significant” acceleration in touring.

Vicky Billing, director of trade and partnerships, said: “The support we receive from the trade is nothing short of phenomenal, they are absolutely central to our success. We simply wouldn’t be where we are today without you, and we won’t forget that.”

Billing also praised her team for helping to drive the results. “They are a passionate, hardworking group who operate at an incredible pace. Over the past two years, they’ve truly put Riviera back on the map, and I couldn’t be prouder of what they continue to achieve,” she added.

“We’re making huge strides in becoming easier to do business with. Our trade friendly approach, growing brand strength, 24hour RIVA AI support, standout marketing campaigns, and our hugely popular Riviera Vault incentive all make a real difference. Instant rewards matter, and we’re committed to giving that back to our partners.”

It comes after Riviera invested heavily in trade-focussed activations. So far this year, RIVA, its new AI support tool, has helped supported more than 1000 agents with sales queries, and nearly 2,000 agents have used The Vault, the brand’s online trade incentive platform.