This week LATTE chats with the team at Quark Expeditions, in Australia and based in Toronto, to learn how the polar expedition specialist is handling the coronavirus crisis and its impact on operations. Providing input in our exclusive interview are Quark Expeditions’ Vice President of Sales, Thomas Lennartz, and Global Partnership Director, Meg Murgatroyd, in Toronto; and Asia Pacific Regional Sales Director, Jarrod Zurvas, and APAC Sales and Marketing Manager, Sarah Arane.

This week LATTE chats with Evan Petrelis, the Managing Director of Renaissance Tours. Evan joined Renaissance Tours in mid-2016 after a successful 20-year career in communications and public relations consulting, including roles in organisations such as Airbus, McKinsey & Company and PricewaterhouseCoopers, and with communications agencies including Sefiani Communications Group and BWD Strategic. In 2017, he acquired Renaissance Tours outright from founder Hugh Hallard.

As ILTM (International Luxury Travel Market) Asia Pacific draws nearer, LATTE recently spoke with ILTM Portfolio Director, Alison Gilmore, to find out the benefits of attending for hosted buyers. Here is what Alison had to say in our exclusive one-on-one interview.

This week LATTE chats with the General Manager of one of the Maldives’ newest luxury retreats, the InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort which opened officially opened on 1 September 2019. Stefan Huemer is no stranger to luxury hotels and resorts, with his extensive hospitality career including long tenures with Dorchester, Thompon and Mandarin Oriental.

Dream Cruises is one of the newest cruise lines to operate in the Australian market, deploying its newest ship Explorer Dream to local waters in October. The cruise line is a division of Genting Cruise Lines, which also owns the luxury brand Crystal Cruises.

Washington DC welcomed a record 23.8 million visitors in 2018, a figure that was up 4.4% year-on-year. That figure was overwhelmingly weighted by domestic travellers (21.9 million), with the US Capital’s international markets (excluding northern and southern neighbours, Canada and Mexico) accounting for 1.9 million down more than 5% compared to the prior corresponding period.

This week LATTE chats with Jarrod Zurvas, Quark Expeditions’ Regional Sales Director, Asia Pacific. Jarrod has been in the travel industry for over 10 years and joined the Arctic cruise specialist in early 2018, following roles with Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours and Carnival Australia. The travel junkie has traversed the world, having visited more than 70 countries. He’ll be visiting the White Continent for the seventh time soon, and continues to expand his knowledge of Antarctica.

This week LATTE chats exclusively with the President of Sri Lankan travel company, Authenticities. Shanitha Fernando shares with us the ethos of Authenticities, the four pillars behind the business, and how the company gives back to the community.

Next month she starts her sea trials, and in less than 200 days Virgin Voyages’ first of four ocean cruise ships, Scarlet Lady, will enter service under the startup cruise line’s “epic sea change”.

Why should travel advisors have Austria and the Austria Hotel Collection front-of-mind when planning their clients’ travel plans to Europe? LATTE chats with Astrid Mulholland-Licht, the Director in Australia for the Austrian National Tourist Office, to find out what lures travellers to the country and learn more about the expanding Austria Hotel Collection portfolio.

Six Senses Fiji opened to guests on 14 April 2018 on tropical Malolo Island in Fiji’s Mamanuca Islands. LATTE chats with General Manager Frans Westraadt about the up-market property’s current source markets, potential growth markets, wellness offering, sustainability initiatives and more, plus Frans explains his decision to relocate to Fiji.

This week the President of Seabourn, Richard Meadows, discusses exclusively with LATTE the cruise company’s move into the ultra-luxury expedition market. Meadows tells us about the maiden season itineraries, expeditions team and on board submarines and informs us as to how sales have been tracking for the inaugural cruises on board Seabourn Venture in 2021.