Buoyed by increased Kiwi sales and a significant fleet expansion plan, Uniworld is eyeing further growth from this market as it marks its 50th anniversary with a celebratory Australasian trade famil down the Nile River.
“It’s been over a year since Uniworld invested in New Zealand adding Alka Thappar as our national sales manager,” says md ANZ Alice Ager (pictured). “So far, having a dedicated Kiwi based in New Zealand has been game-changing. Alka has been pounding the pavements and showing up for all our agents which has made a huge difference already.”
In terms of local trends, Ager says Kiwi travellers are either booking ‘really far ahead or really last minute’, adding that the growth in the New Zealand market ‘has well outpaced the Australian growth which is really impressive’. “It’s so interesting! But Aussies are booking more 2028 cruises than the Kiwis at this stage,” she adds.
. . . Top Sellers
Uniworld’s Douro River Valley itinerary continues to be its top-seller in New Zealand, followed by its Splendours of Egypt and the Nile, the Delightful Danube, the Ultimate European Journey and its India’s Golden Triangle and the Sacred Ganges, says Ager. “I love that Kiwis have embraced our non-European cruises like the Nile and the Ganges. They also choose the longer sailings, like the Ultimate European which sails from Amsterdam all the way to Bucharest,” she adds.
In addition, 75% of Uniworld Kiwi bookings are in a French Balcony or higher, says Ager. “What we are learning is that Kiwi travellers go longer and spend more. They love having fresh air so the French Balcony makes sense.”
. . . Combo Offers
Uniworld is reporting increased Kiwi demand for land and cruise combination options with Luxury Gold. “We’ve been on the road sharing the Touch of Gold message with agents and I really think the penny has dropped, [it’s] so easy to add land with a river cruise and vice versa,” says Ager. “It’s going really well.”
. . . What’s Next
The river cruise line is set to add three new ships to its fleet by 2028, which Ager says represents new opportunities for Kiwi consultants.
“[Our] new-build ships all carry the typical Uniworld storytelling elements with themes that match the destination, which we love. The design is just slightly understated in style but with the same quality finishes, custom furnishings and fabrics,” says Ager. “I think the new era of Uniworld river ships will appeal even more so to the Kiwi traveller and make recommending Uniworld to new clients much easier.”
See more on Uniworld’s Egypt production in tomorrow’s edition.
