Bicton Travel has achieved seven Virtuoso Cruise Icons this year, snapping up the member award for Highest Cruise Annual Growth at Virtuoso’s award event to boot – achievements that highlight the company’s expertise in the cruise industry, according to owner Phil Smethurst.

This year, the second for the Cruise Icons program in the ANZ market, saw 35 advisors achieve the status – up from 29 in 2024 – with seven of those going to agents from Perth-based Bicton Travel.

“I think that must be a record for one individual company,” Smethurst told LATTE at last week’s Virtuoso ANZ Forum 2025.

This recognition is a testament to the company’s commitment to cruising, a niche that the business has focused on since its inception. “Cruising for us has always been a focus right since day one,” he explained.

In 1998, when cruising was still a niche market, the family-run business saw the potential to specialise in it and established itself as a cruise expert. “We really cemented our place as being a cruise specialist before everyone became a cruise specialist,” Smethurst said.

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Today, with a cruise landscape that looks very different and with Viking, Scenic, and Silversea cruises among its biggest sellers, Bicton Travel continues to thrive.

The company is also seeing increasing interest in river cruising, thanks largely to Viking’s expansive fleet. “Viking has a massive fleet of river cruise ships, so there’s usually a departure, because often they’re full,” Smethhurst said, noting the strong demand.

Despite the success, the company still faces challenges, particularly when it comes to talent recruitment. “Business has never been better, but the biggest problem is people,” he shared, emphasising the difficulties faced by the entire industry in finding qualified staff to meet the growing demand.

However, the agency is tackling this issue by nurturing junior staff and providing long-term training, ensuring the future success of the business.

Last year, Bicton’s Ben Chidgzey was a finalist for the Rising Star award at Virtuoso’s 2024 Awards named at Travel Week in Las Vegas. Chidgzey was the sole Australian travel advisor nominated across all categories.

Bicton Travel’s partnership with Virtuoso has also been pivotal in expanding its reach, according to Smethurst.

“It’s really put us on the map globally,” he said, highlighting the significance of these relationships in providing clients with “top-tier travel experiences”.

Lead image: Phil Smethust (right), MD Bicton Travel with Virtuoso’s Chairman and CEO, Matthew Upchurch and Account Manager, Member Relations, Kitty Fitzgerald.