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by Brian Major
Last updated: 2:55 PM ET, Thu September 21, 2023
Hurtigruten
Group officials this week announced their plan to re-brand Hurtigruten Expeditions as HX, emphasizing the
division’s global expedition-style itineraries and creating a clear separation
from Hurtigruten Norway, the company’s 130 year-old coastal voyage provider.
Under the
changes, Hurtigruten Norway will be simplified to “Hurtigruten” while maintaining
its “fast route” Norwegian coastal voyages.
Meanwhile, HX
will provide “immersive, small-ship experiences” emphasizing “scientific
research and expert-led lectures” plus community advocacy and sustainability, with itineraries journeying to Africa’s west
coast, Antarctica, the Galápagos Islands, Greenland, and Svalbard.
The HX fleet
includes 530-passenger, battery-hybrid-powered ship Roald Amundsen and sister vessel
MS Fridtjof Nansen. TravelPulse spoke with Daniel Skjeldam, Hurtigruten Group’s
CEO, to discuss the rationale behind the new branding.
TP: What
was the thinking behind the re-branding?
DS: Hurtigruten
consists of several companies: we have a Hurtigruten Norway, we have Hurtigruten
Expeditions, we have Hurtigruten Svalbard and we also own a stake in Metropolitan
Touring in Ecuador. We are sending Hurtigruten
Expeditions in a different direction from Hurtigruten Norway.
TP: Why
the new strategy?
DS: There is
a much more high-end offering on Hurtigruten Expeditions, a global offering
with very interesting destinations [across] the entire world, [while] Hurtigruten
Norway is still core to what it’s always been since 1893, and that’s a very
high-end working ship on the Norwegian coast.
We’ve felt everyone
looks at these as the same. We’ve seen a need to differentiate and make the product
proposition and branding much clearer and distinct for the two companies.
That’s why we’re making the change now.
TP: So
the original Hurtigruten product will remain in place?
DS: Yes. Hurtigruten
Norway goes back to the roots of Hurtigruten. That name really described what
it is. It means “the fast route,” and that’s still the concept of the operation
on the coast. With this change, we bring a lot more clarity as these are two very
different product propositions, sailing in different regions and the guest
delivery is very different.
![Daniel Skjeldam Hurtigruten CEO Daniel Skjeldam Hurtigruten CEO](https://ik.imgkit.net/3vlqs5axxjf/MM-TP/ik-seo/https://cdn.travelpulse.com/images/99999999-9999-9999-9999-999999999999/2a21fa1b-821b-462f-b811-25cebd57f97f/source/Daniel-Skjeldam-Hurtigruten-CEO.jpeg?tr=w-684%2Cfo-auto)
“We’re a brand that has a Norwegian origin but that has a very global appeal.” – Daniel Skjeldam, CEO of Hurtigruten Group (Courtesy of Hurtigruten Group)
TP: What
other changes come with the re-branding?
DS: The
commercial teams working Hurtigruten Norway and Hurtigruten Expeditions have
been separate since June. This is important to understand because it means that
the [marketing] structure for the two companies will be completely different. Part of the strategy for HX will be to sell
more to travel advisors.
TP: How
will that work?
DS: The mix
in the group has been around 50/50 business-to-consumer and business-to-business,
but we expect with the new initiatives happening in in HX that we can increase
the share of bookings in the business-to-business channel by working even
closer with travel advisors, especially in North America, where we feel we have
a lot of potential.
TP: How
has the company fared with North American travelers this year?
DS: We’ve seen
very good figures for HX in the North American market. Compared to last year, over
numbers are up 93 percent and if you compare prior to COVID, comparing 2019
departures with 2023 departures, we're up almost 1,000 percent in the North
American market. So it’s a massive game-changer for this business.
TP: What
aspects of the product have made it popular with North Americans?
DS: We’re a
brand that has a Norwegian origin but that has a very global appeal, with the
product that is purpose-built for the North American market being all inclusive
with very little extras to pay when you're on board the ship. Also, our massive focus on sustainability is
something we see getting more and more traction in in the North American
market.
TP: What aspects
of the HX product make you believe you can grow the customer base?
DS: Through HX we introduced a brand into the
North American market that is a cruise product. It is a product [consumers] can
be pretty familiar with, but with a Norwegian flair and heritage, a high focus
on sustainability, and a focus on science and learning and part of the guest
proposition. I think it’s a very good fit for the North American market.”
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