The newly formed Hurtigruten Nordic Alliance, comprised of several luxury travel agencies in Australia and New Zealand, has tasked the Norwegian brand to consider a range of refinements to improve training and service, and to more broadly, re-evaluate joining CLIA Australasia, LATTE can reveal.
The Hurtigruten Nordic Alliance was formally announced last month, made up of 10 elite travel agency partners, including Robyn Sinfield, Carole Smethurst, Elizabeth Clark, Emma Whiting, Jeff Leckey, Michelle Ashcroft, Allison Lord, Jeff Lecky, Michelle Everson and Gemma Giandomenico. The association was created with the objective to provide a high performing, customer centric partnership that will boost awareness of Norway in Australia and New Zealand. (Learn more about the objectives of the Hurtigruten Nordic Alliance here.)
‘Transparency’ is viewed as a fundamental cornerstone of the alliance, and during the group’s onboarding discussion this week – chaired by Damian Perry, MD APAC for Hurtigruten – members flagged a few opportunities where improvements would assist their businesses.
Among topics discussed included improved documentation, sharing marketing calendars, more in-depth product and destination training on the Norwegian coastline, opportunities with the 1893 Ambassador Club loyalty program and an expansion of Hurtigruten’s feet on the ground in Australia, with two new Account Managers (in Sydney and Brisbane) to be sourced, alongside a potential new Inside Sales Support role, based in Melbourne.
“Our team has started engagement with our global team and support functions and have prioritised these in our business plans,” Perry added.
Sinfield, Co-Founder of Home Travel Company, emphasised the importance of Hurtigruten becoming a member of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), Australasia. One of the benefits of CLIA membership for travel advisors would potentially be a training module for Hurtigruten’s product.
“It’s always on the table,” Perry said, responding to the suggestion of joining the organisation. “This is really, really important,” he added, noting that Sinfield has been championing the case for [in her own words] “years and years and years.”
“We haven’t been a member in the past, and yes, we should consider it, and we should take this feedback from this alliance,” he said. “We have had initial discussions and there will be further opportunities to discuss this at greater length.”
“[Being a member of CLIA] may be less important in Norway, but here, it’s truly relevant and we may need to take that step forward,” Perry said.
“With the overwhelming support for CLIA it is unquestionably time to sit with Joel Katz,” he said.
LATTE is proudly the exclusive media partner of the Hurtigruten Nordic Alliance.
