Havila Voyages has appointed Robin Griffiths as its first-ever strategic account manager in a bid to bolster ties with the UK travel trade

It comes after Griffiths confirmed his departure from APT Travel Group, where he was national partnerships manager. He has previously held positions with Kuoni, Emirates and Gold Medal Travel Group.

In his new role with Havila, he will report into Matthew Valentine, global head of sales, who is currently the line’s only other UK-based employee.

“It’s an exciting time for Havila and I’m delighted to have Robin help us on the next step of our journey”, Valentine said.

“His appointment demonstrates our commitment to working with the UK trade and supporting them as we continue to grow our business. He brings a wealth of experience gained over more than 20 years in the industry and I have no doubt he will prove a valuable asset in the coming months.”

Griffiths added: “I’m very much looking forward to working with Matthew and the rest of the Havila team. Not only do they offer unforgettable voyages along the Norwegian coast, but their environmental credentials are extremely impressive.

“It’s a winning combination and I’m really looking forward to working with agents to drive sales for the Norwegian coastal cruise product.”

In November 2025, Havila Voyages became the first cruise line to operate an emission-free passenger voyage using only Biogas and battery power. The line has outlined plans to operate all of its voyages using Biogas (instead of liquified natural gas) by the end of 2028.