AmaWaterways‘ establishment of an Australian beachhead and alignment with Virtuoso in this region has been a pipedream of the business for years, says Gary Murphy, Co-Owner and SVP of Sales for the river cruise operator.

Speaking at the Virtuoso Australia/New Zealand Forum, Murphy told the luxury travel network’s owner/managers “AmaWaterways has been aspiring to work with you directly for many, many years.”

“We’ve wanted to have this relationship for such a long time,” he said.

“We have so much diverse product to offer – 29 ships in the market and with our GSA agreement with APT ending at the end of the year, now we have the ability to work with you in the market for all of this product.”

“Even better yet, we have the Virtuoso marketing machine and talent behind us, that helps us expand the marketing program, drive people to your offices and hopefully secure bookings,” he told delegates.

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Quizzed by LATTE on the sidelines of the Forum as to what had held AmaWaterways back from launching earlier, Murphy flagged APT’s consumer sales focus ahead of the trade.

“We have a wonderful relationship with the McGearys,” he said. “Geoff McGeary is very close personal friend of my father. APT did a phenomenal job. They would take five ships each season and focus on filling those ships they had chartered. But we have all this other product too,” he said, suggesting the deal’s reach was quite limited.

“AmaWaterways are very trade-focused and I really wanted to be in with Virtuoso, and that just didn’t happen.”

The formation of AmaWaterway’s Sydney-based team coincides with the end of the long-standing partnership with APT at the end of 2024. The windback of that alliance means AmaWaterways can sell from its bank of products for sailings beginning 1 January 2025, and beyond. Enquiries up until then remain in APT’s hands.

Elaborating on what that will mean, Murphy said: “Now we can introduce our entire product range to the Aussie and New Zealand market.”

85% of AmaWaterways’ itineraries are in Europe, with other operations on the Mekong, more recently the Nile, and soon the Magdalena (in Colombia). The only major waterways in Europe where the cruise line isn’t operating are the Po in Italy, and the Elbe in Western Europe, Murphy told LATTE.

Soon, AmaWaterways will add a third ship on the Douro in Portugal where cruising has become “extremely popular,” he said.

Murphy said Ama doesn’t invest greatly in direct advertising, preferring to work directly with the trade with “commission you deserve” and marketing with Virtuoso to drive the right client into your offices.

“We believe in the retail distribution system.”

Murphy highlighted that through the Virtuoso arrangement, advisors in Australia and New Zealand would be earning the same commission as their counterparts in other parts of the world.

“We wanted to drive sales through the retail distribution system, not because we like (we do like you!), but because we honestly believe its the best way to do business.

“We’ll have Australian and New Zealand pricing with a brochure to launch in both markets next month.”

“We now have more 11-day and two-week itineraries that we believe will suit the travellers from this region.”

Given the significant investment and faith AmaWaterways has in the AUNZ market, he sought that trust be returned in good. “I need you to help build that business,” Murphy said.

To incentive travel advisors in Australia and New Zealand, AmaWaterways has introduced a ‘Sail Three, Sail Free’ promotion, whereby a travel advisor who book three guests on AmaWaterways this year, to cruise in 2025 or 2026, (which is deposited by the end of 2024), will be rewarded with a complimentary cabin of their own.

“We really need your support,” he added.

Meanwhile, AmaWaterways is now offering Australian and New Zealand travel advisors easy access to reservations and guest relations support during Australian business hours through its local reservations centre.

The local team, led by Head of Reservations Ian Lyne, recently completed an intensive five weeks of training and is now operating 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday.