Thursday, 14 November 2024
Tauck’s river cruise program to tackle overtourism
by Rose White
With overtourism a mounting concern worldwide, Tauck has underlined its commitment to tackling the problem through its carefully designed programs.
Speaking at an event in Sydney today, Global VP Sales and Service Steve Spivak shared details of the company’s river cruise program which will feature two new river ships that will sail the Rhône and the Seine from 2026.
“The maximum we will ever carry is 130 passengers – and that’s if every cabin is sold to max capacity,” he said. “Most times we actually sail with closer to 110 guests on our 443 foot ships and around 90 passengers on our 385 foot ships.”
Sailing with such a group size makes a huge difference for the sailing experience, but also enhances land excursions while minimising the impact on local communities.
“When you get off the ship in these charming villages in France, when 190 people get off a ship, it’s a lot different than when 90 people get off a ship,” Spivak said.
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“It changes the nature of the places that we visit. When you visit with fewer people, you sort of disappear into the destination. And because our guests, when they disembark split into much smaller touring groups with a choice of excursions guided by those tout directors, it’s a much more exclusive, intimate experience.”
In addition to keeping numbers low, Tauck also ensures it is creative in the places it visits, venturing beyond the tourism mainstays to discover the lesser known spots that give visitors a real sense of place.
“In this day and age, where we’re all concerned about overtourism and sustainable tourism, making sure that we don’t change the nature of the destination by virtue of the size and amount of people visiting there is very important,” Spivak said.
“We’re designing new itineraries that are not the typical ones that every other river cruise line does. Visiting places that are a little bit off the beaten path, combining destinations that are different than what everybody else is doing, is the way that we’re combatting overtourism in these places.”
Lead image: Tauck’s David Clark (left), Managing Director, Australia and Steve Spivak, Global VP, Sales & Service.
The post Tauck’s river cruise program to tackle overtourism appeared first on LATTE Luxury News.
