PANDAW has announced due to the many continuing impacts on international leisure travel, it has no alternative but to cease its river cruise operations (CW breaking news yesterday). The line cited a lack of financial liquidity, and the failure to find additional funding, due to the impact of COVID-19; the...
PANDAW has announced due to the many continuing impacts on international leisure travel, it has no alternative but to cease its river cruise operations (CW breaking news yesterday).
The line cited a lack of financial liquidity, and the failure to find additional funding, due to the impact of COVID-19; the closure of its destinations in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and India; and the Myanmar coup d’etat, as the reasons for its closure.
Pandaw said forward bookings for a restart for 2022 remained strong, but it lacked the funding to continue layup operations of its 17 ships for another year, in addition to undergoing essential refurbishment to prepare for renewed operations – “the timing of which is highly uncertain, even assuming this may occur for the winter 2022/23 season,” the cruise line said.
The company said it had worked tirelessly over the past 12 months to find new investors or other forms of finance to carry it through, but without success.
Pandaw founder Paul Strachan said he was truly sorry to disappoint regular passengers who were looking forward to a trip after the lifting of restrictions.
“We are also heartbroken for our 300-plus crew members and shoreside personnel who have stood by Pandaw and were hoping to get going again next year,” he said.
Despite the closure, the Pandaw Charity, which has done much to support the people of Myanmar during the coup de’tat (CW 15 Apr), will continue its work under the guidance of its trustees.
