Page 28 - 2024 CIN Expedition Market Report

EXPEDITION Market

SWAN HELLENIC

Booking

Momentum

“Antarctica and the Arctic are on the
 Andrea Zito, CEO We are bucket list for the Chinese,” he added.
getting into The company’s bread and butter
ince September the market a normal comes in Antarctica, where it com-
“Shas been showing signs of mode. We mands its highest rates, Zito said, with
life,” said Andrea Zito, CEO of Swan the 152-guest Vega sailing alongside the
Hellenic. “Historically our business is have 192-guest Diana. The company previous-
booked 18 to 12 months out, and in the summer ly operated the Minerva as well, which
middle of 2022 we were still in pandemic cruises that continues to sit laid up due to Russian-
mode, and China didn’t really open until are fully linked financing that the company is
March of 2023.” working through.
Speaking to Cruise Industry News in booked and Having launched operations during
early February, Zito said: “We have a we are the pandemic, and then having to deal
full-ship charter to the Chinese market thinking with various geopolitical issues, the sup-
that started yesterday at a very premium about ply chain and skyrocketing airfare prices,
rate. We are well placed there, and China Zito said he was wary to show optimism.
currently accounts for about 20 percent raising rates. “But, I think we are on the right track,”
of our guests. he said. “We are getting into a normal

174 Cruise Industry News: 2024 Expedition Market Report