Lindblad Expeditions, a global leader and pioneer in traveling to the world’s wildest and most remote places, today announced the launch of its new ‘Expedition 360’ program for travel advisors.

Reaffirming its commitment to the travel advisor community, the company called its new project/scheme/system the “most comprehensive, full-service trade initiative in its 50-year history”. Expedition 360 is designed to will significantly strengthen the luxury adventure cruise line's ability to support its travel advisor partners.

Based upon four key pillars of Training, Service, Technology and Appreciation, and building on its existing Expedition 360° training platform, the new offering provides a wealth of resources that Lindblad’s industry partners can access in order to grow their businesses and get into this decade’s breakout travel trend, expedition cruising.

“Expedition cruising has never been as popular and in demand as it is today. Travel advisors are our most influential partners and our brand ambassadors to guests that are looking for active exploration and wonder in secluded places far beyond the major cruise ship docks,” said John Delaney, senior vice president of sales and revenue management at Lindblad Expeditions. “With Expedition 360, we are building a platform that will help enable and empower our dedicated travel advisors, extending the knowledge and know-how to help them earn the confidence of their customers and sell the premier, inclusive expedition experience.”

Over the next several months, the brand will be rolling out fresh program features, including a new webinar series, Lindblad’s first cross-country road show, and new awards and incentives for travel advisors. Each new or expanded program element falls under one of the four pillars below.

— Training: Expanding upon its existing, award-winning Expedition 360° training platform, the program will further enhance its education and knowledge hub by adding new modules; hosting a cross-country, multi-city roadshow (happening later this year); and launching a monthly webinar series that highlights expert speakers and exclusive benefits.

— Service: Lindblad is dedicated to delivering exemplary service by continuing to grow its talented team of Sales experts, and adding new capabilities, such as a dedicated travel advisor reservations line; a 24/7, self-service online support portal; and more.

— Technology: In the later part of the year, Lindblad Expeditions will transition to the industry-leading integrated reservation platform, Seaware, which will enable travel advisors to seamlessly book expedition experiences, including pre- and post-sailing options, and more; along with the benefit of direct, 24/7 reservation management access. Through an interactive website, Lindblad will also supply a series of customizable guides to help advisors easily share pertinent information and marketing materials with their customers and increase sales.

— Appreciation: Lindblad acknowledges and values the work of travel agencies and independent advisors, which is so crucial to the company’s success. To show its appreciation for the community, the cruise line will introduce a new travel advisor appreciation program this year, which is set to include applying new travel advisor travel rates; hosting exclusive events on board its fleet; and more.

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