Page 17 - 2021 European River Report

The Avalon Artistry II has
capacity for 128 guests.

The line also eliminated 80 percent of come up with new ideas for the future: “Our
paper used onboard over the last few new ports, new things to do in port, how conversations
years and is expanding that effort even to act in an even more sustainable way are always
more, largely through digital signage and in terms of our social and economic around what’s
smart phone apps. responsibilities with ports.” the best thing
to do for our
“Our goal is to take that even farther More Difficult guests. We don’t
by eliminating the daily newsletter, and worry about
having that accessible through the app While Hoffee said Avalon was able to money. That
and through the screens in the stateroom.” retain the majority of its staff, there were gets figured
difficult cutbacks that needed to be made. out later. It’s
The line is also engaging guests Marketing took a big hit in the budget. always about
in waterway cleanup efforts: If guests what’s the best
choose electronic documents over “Like most businesses, we’ve had to thing to do for
paper ones, Avalon makes a donation make some short-term cutbacks, in terms our guests and
to organizations working to reduce the of spending. Those decisions were made travel advisors.”
Pacific Ocean garbage patch and cleanse to determine the long-term health of our
some of the world’s more polluted rivers. business,” she said.

“Sustainability is certainly a big part of It’s a similar story across most of the
our story,” Hoffee said. Part of that story travel business.
means looking at social and economic
sustainability efforts. “It’s also been an “I know far too many talented people
opportunity to take a little bit of time to who’ve lost their roles. And we certainly
are hoping to bring back everyone as we

Cruise Industry News: 2021 European River Cruise Market Report 85