by Bobbi Dempsey
Last updated: 8:30 PM ET, Fri September 30, 2016
Hurtigruten has a new home in the U.S.
The global travel provider just opened a new office in Seattle, allowing the company to better serve its U.S. customers in a prompt and efficient manner.
This development signifies an important milestone for the company, recognizing its continued dedication to serving the U.S. market. At the same time, it allows the company to maintain a strong emphasis on top-notch service.
One of the world's leading providers of adventure travel to exotic and remote parts of the globe, Hurtigruten is known for providing world-class services and unrivaled travel experiences you can't find anywhere else. To accommodate the strong demand from clientele in this region, the company made it a priority to focus on growth in the U.S., and dedicated resources to supporting an expansion that would align with those goals.
The new location will contain administrative offices, along with a customer travel service and information center where clients can learn more about travel with Hurtigruten and make plans for their next getaway.
The office was unveiled to the public with a lavish Grand Opening ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring many local figures as well as dignitaries from the travel industry. In a nod to the brand's Norwegian roots, the event also featured a selection of Scandinavian food and drinks.
[READMORE]WATCH MORE: Hurtigruten's Growth In Expedition Travel[/READMORE]
The opening of this new office is just the latest in several big steps for the company this year. This summer, they celebrated the christening of a new ship, the MS Spitsbergen, with a midnight sun event in Lofoten, north of the Arctic Circle on the coast of northern Norway. The ship is named after the largest island in the Svalbard Archipelago, the very northernmost part of Norway, next to the North Pole. Starting next year, passengers will be able to sail on MS Spitsbergen to Greenland, Iceland, the Faroe and Shetland Islands, as well as to Arctic Canada.
They have also announced plans to build two new vessels by 2019. These state-of-the-art ships will be built by Norwegian shipbuilder Kleven, and will be specifically designed to withstand the brutal conditions of the polar region. That will uniquely position Hurtigruten as the go-to provider of ship-based travel to that region, and will open up exciting new opportunities for travelers eager to explore that part of the world.
In addition, the ships will also be constructed using innovative and sophisticated technologies that put them far ahead of many other ships on the water today. To support the company's dedication to protecting the environment, the construction process will also encompass a variety of techniques geared to promoting sustainability and reducing emissions. These two new ships are the first of four planned new vessels in total that the company intends to add to its fleet.
Hurtigruten is the most well-known travel adventure brand in Norway, and has been operating ships on the original Norwegian coastal route since 1893. It has now established itself as a leader in exploration tourism, an industry that is growing at a rapid pace.
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