AmaWaterways Outpacing 2024; Canadian Advisors Crucial to Growth

It’s only March and yet AmaWaterways has already started the year ahead of where they ended in 2024.

“We are seeing an incredible increase in business in 2025,” Sandra Gardiner, Director of Sales, Canada, told Travel Market Canada from onboard the TMP on the River cruise where she is hosting 90 advisors, about 75% of them Canadian.

“Our advisor community are exceptionally supportive thus why we drive the largest percentage of our business from them. Egypt has been growing in popularity with Canadians especially. We will soon start Colombia, and I am sure once it begins we will fill capacities quickly with both new ships there.”

Travel Market Place (TMP) on the River is the one-week FAM/conference hybrid that offers educational sessions during its seven days of the sailing on board the AMA Viola. This year advisors could learn how to create better photographs, how to work with local and trade media and how to use A.I.

“As a travel advisor currently on the AMA Viola, I can tell you firsthand how incredible this training experience has been,” Canadian advisor Cathy McKinnon told Travel Market Report Canada. “The sessions with Dan Galbraith and Rita Perez, Jon Burrows, and Dori Saltzman have been nothing short of transformative.”

Gardiner says the onboard sessions are important tools for advisors as they learn how to grow their business and increase clients. She encourages advisors year-round to take advantage of AmaWaterways’ own educational tool called AmaAcademy, where once travel advisors complete the courses they can apply for a FAM or join one of the cruise line’s hosted FAMs. Also available are “Webinar Wednesdays” live sessions for advisors which feature updates from AmaWaterways executives and are recorded so they can be referenced later if needed.

“Our BDM team in Canada is always available to help with trainings, consumer events and in general to ensure our advisors think of us when clients are looking for a river cruise. We are not looking to take away from our lovely competitors but hopeful that new-to-river clients wanting to try a river cruise, will be booked with AmaWaterways.

I am so pleased to host our second TMP OTR and look forward to another in 2026,” Gardiner adds.

“The partners and the session speakers have been incredible. I am certain that all will take home a special nugget from this experience that will propel them in their business with AmaWaterways.”