SWAN Hellenic CEO Andrea Zito (pictured) has emphasised the importance of Australia and the region to the reborn cruise line, revealing expedition options from the Pacific to Antarctica are being looked into. Speaking to Cruise Weekly yesterday, Zito discussed Swan Hellenic’s recently announced 2021-22 return season (CW 24 Jul), including...
SWAN Hellenic CEO Andrea Zito (pictured) has emphasised the importance of Australia and the region to the reborn cruise line, revealing expedition options from the Pacific to Antarctica are being looked into.
Speaking to Cruise Weekly yesterday, Zito discussed Swan Hellenic’s recently announced 2021-22 return season (CW 24 Jul), including the line’s current offerings in the region, and what may be in store in the future.
“Our ship which will be based in the Bering Strait, will have to commute to Antarctica through the Pacific Ocean, so we are designing some itineraries through Papua New Guinea and Japan, so hopefully there is an option to, instead of going back to Ushuaia, take a deep dive in Antarctica from the Australian continent…it is possible, we are studying it.”
Having previously been represented in Australia by general sales agent Discover the World, Zito also revealed a multitude of options were being considered for an assertive sales strategy in Asia-Pacific.
“We are developing quite an aggressive strategy,” he said.
“We’re not in the position to open an office in Australia, but we are in contact with various partners and we will announce our strategy in the next months.”
Zito also expanded on how Swan Hellenic would attempt to restore the formerly positive relationship the cruise line had in its previous existence.
“We want to revive the aspects of which Swan Hellenic was renowned, which is having a number of partners around the world and revive the sense of the Swan Hellenic family.
“Rather than being a supplier, they felt more like a family, with the same aspirations, same plans, and same goals.
“We want to be very friendly with the travel agent community because we can offer good options for our guests, but we can also offer a profitable environment for our partners in the agent community.”
Swan Hellenic’s first two ships are currently under construction, with Zito saying they would offer unrivalled-in-the-market polar class 5 specification.
