IGNITE Travel Group is doubling down on the river market, newly promoted Global Head of Cruise Michael Middleton has told CW.
The Ignite veteran, who recently made the step up to a global role with the company (CW 23 Jul), said he is on the search for dedicated product managers to service the river sector, as the space begins to continually attract younger passengers.
The new global role will see Middleton inherit oversight of the company’s newly acquired Cruise Club UK business, based in Great Britain (CW 14 Nov 2024), in addition to his role as head of Australia’s My Cruises brand.
The experienced cruise executive will be tasked with ensuring both markets are served with a holistic view.
River is a “key focus for us”, Middleton (pictured) reinforced, adding “our business is looking at growth and we are always looking at what is next.
“We are just about to go out and advertise to bolster our product team again [with] four new roles,” he enthused.
River presents an opportunity to bring first-time passengers to the sector, Middleton believes, with the Ignite cruise executive particularly bullish on its ability to attract families.
The key to solving this market is offering shore experiences tailored towards families, he suggested, similar to those which are available with popular multigenerational ocean lines, such as Royal Caribbean and MSC.
“I think there is an opportunity for river cruising to crack the family market,” he explained.
“A lot of the river operators are really starting to appeal to a different demographic.”
Luxury is another sector the company sees as open to new-to-cruise travellers, Middleton believes, with Ignite set to favour this segment going forward.
“It is making sure we can get some synergy, some benefits, identifying opportunities where both markets can be aligned…opportunities where we can double down on certain products,” Middleton concluded.
Ignite may also look at introducing 24/7 support, with Cruise Club UK’s Europe-oriented operating hours potentially able to service overnight enquiries from Australian customers. MS