AmaWaterways Launches Virtual Marketing Suitcase for Travel Advisors

Leading River Cruise Line Backs Travel Partners by Offering ‘Suitcase on the Danube and Rhine Rivers,’ Available Now

 

CALABASAS, CA – April 15, 2020 – AmaWaterways today introduced an innovative virtual Marketing Suitcase in partnership with Sandra McLemore, travel business growth strategist with Travel Marketing & Media. Designed to help travel advisors build their individual brands and market one of the fastest growing segments in travel – river cruising – the virtual suitcase will be filled with expert knowledge and tips from Kristin Karst, executive vice president and co-founder of AmaWaterways; customizable blog posts; a month’s worth of social media posts; and other marketing materials.

 

“Despite the current challenges we are facing across the industry, we stand alongside our valued travel partners and remain committed to investing in them, providing training, tools and inspiring content they need in order to engage their clients from home,” said Karst. “We’re proud to partner with Sandra as she shares our passion for supporting and developing the travel advisor community and helping them introduce more travelers to the magic of river cruising with AmaWaterways.”

 

The virtual Marketing Suitcase contains a series of tips, digital content and easy-to-use tools that AmaWaterways and McLemore have packaged as customizable content that can be repurposed and shared on each advisor’s platforms, including:

 

• 13 short training videos from Karst, with pro tips on how to start and continue selling river cruises to individuals and groups during these unique times

 

• 30 social media posts with stunning images, captions and hashtags ready to copy and post, including recommendations on how to customize captions to stay relevant to the current environment and captivate their clients

 

• Four blog posts about the river cruising experience, with simple steps to tailor to specific audiences

 

• Four one-minute videos that can be posted on social media, newsletters or a website

 

• An introduction to Webinar Wednesdays, an innovative program featuring interactive Q&As with AmaWaterways’ executive team and real-life examples of how to move business forward

The first virtual suitcase, focusing on the legendary Danube and Rhine rivers, is available at no cost on AmaWaterways’ Travel Advisor Portal and shared with those agents that are part of the Travel Marketing & Media community. The next is slated to be released in the coming weeks with a focus on group travel, delivering new compelling content for advisors and their wanderlust-filled clients. In it, Gary Murphy, co-owner and senior vice president of sales, and Alex Pinelo, vice president of sales, will share the ins and outs of selling groups with AmaWaterways, from best practices to group policies.

 

“The rivers continue to flow, and so does our love for the travel advisor community,” added Karst. “We are continuing to listen to their needs, adapting our policies and adding resources to best serve them and their clients now and in the future when international travel resumes. We’re proud to stand beside our partners as they continue to personally connect with their clients who are at home dreaming of their next vacation.”

 

With innovative sales programs and educational tools dedicated to the needs of the travel advisor community, AmaWaterways has become known for the continual support and exceptional service it provides valued travel partners. As a result, the company has been voted by travel advisors to receive numerous awards, including Best Travel Agent Support for a River Cruise Line (Gold) by Recommend, “Best Overall Supplier” by Nexion and “Supplier Partner of the Year” and “Cruise Line Partner of the Year” by American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA).

 

To access the AmaWaterways virtual Marketing Suitcase, visit the Travel Advisor Portal onAmaWaterways.com. Follow AmaWaterways on Facebook at Facebook.com/AmaWaterways, Instagram @AmaWaterways and Twitter @AmaWaterways.

 

 

About AmaWaterways

 

A family-owned company celebrating 18 years on the river, AmaWaterways offers unforgettable river cruises with 25 ships sailing Europe’s Danube, Rhine, Moselle, Main, Rhône, Seine, Garonne, Dordogne, Dutch and Belgian Waterways and Douro Rivers, Southeast Asia’s Mekong, Africa’s Chobe River and Egypt’s Nile River (2021).  Led by experienced river cruise co-founders Rudi Schreiner and Kristin Karst, the company is renowned for its innovative stateroom design featuring unique “twin balconies;” its wellness activities including a wide choice of included shore excursions featuring biking and hiking options for the active traveler; and its award-winning dining—including The Chef’s Table specialty restaurant as well as complimentary fine wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner. Modern, spacious and tastefully decorated, each ship features onboard amenities such as hair and massage salons and a fitness room, and many have heated outdoor swimming pools with swim-up bars. AmaWaterways leads the river cruise industry in innovation highlighted with the launch of AmaMagna, which at twice the width of traditional river ships, offers a new dimension in luxury river cruising. The company also offers a variety of themed sailings and brand relationships, with sailings geared towards active travelers and families as well as group and charter options.

 

With the highest-rated ships in Europe according to the third edition of Berlitz: River Cruising in Europe & the USA, AmaWaterways has received countless honors and accolades including Cruise Critic’s 2019 Editor’s Pick Award for “Best River Cruise Line” and “Best for Active Cruisers,” 2018 AFAR Reader’s Choice Award for “Best River Cruise Line” and inclusion of AmaMagna in 2019 TIME “World’s Greatest Places.”