Page 17 - Expedition

EXPEDITION MARKET

The Silver Cloud

Big Changes which are driving demand. As destinations, they surpass all
expectations and are truly once-in-a-lifetime wilderness ex-
periences,” added Jill Blunsom, Polar specialist at 50 Degrees
North.

“Experiential travel has arrived. Those with the means Trends
to travel are living healthier and longer lives,” said Ashton
Palmer, president of Expedition Trips in Seattle. “They are Johnson said that 15 percent of his expedition bookings to
seeking out authentic and engaging travel experiences as they Antarctica are repeat business.
eschew material possessions and focus on enriching their
lives.” While the demand for Antarctica continues to grow, other
locations are now appearing more seriously on the radar, in-
Martin Johnson, director of Polar Routes based in the UK,
sees an influence coming from a very different source. “In- “One thing that hasn’t changed is
creasing coverage on the polar regions from great programs that, for many, the Polar Regions are
such as Blue Planet and Frozen Planet (both available on the final frontiers, ultimate bucket list
Netflix), is really raising the profile of the Polar Regions destinations, which are driving demand.”
overall.”
cluding Greenland, Alaska, and the Galapagos, which offers
There’s also a synergy between the demand for product a year-round destination.
and the production of new ships. Clients want more choices
in the cruise experience and cruise companies accommodat- “We are finding the trend is moving towards the longer
ing this demand, more people are considering the expedition voyages that also include the Antarctic Peninsula, Falklands,
option. and South Georgia, as people think it’s their once-in-a-lifetime
trip and don’t want to miss anything,” Johnson said.
“With more expedition ships being released, there is more
choice than ever before and it’s now possible to find a product
that perfectly matches how you want to explore,” Johnson
explained.

“One thing that hasn’t changed is that, for many, the Polar
Regions are the final frontiers, ultimate bucket list destinations,

170 Cruise Industry News: 2019 Expedition Market Report