The Expedition Client You Didn’t Know You Had

The next great expedition traveler may already be sitting in an advisor’s client database. Maybe it’s the wildlife lover who plans vacations around what they hope to see…the well-traveled couple searching for somewhere that still feels undiscovered…or the curious client who would rather come home with a fantastic story than another souvenir.

Identifying expedition prospects means looking beyond age, income, or whether someone has ever expressed interest in Antarctica or the Galápagos. A client’s interests, past travels, appetite for discovery, and desire to learn can all provide clues.

By recognizing those signals—and asking the right questions—travel advisors can uncover clients who may be ready for a more immersive kind of adventure, even if those travelers haven’t yet considered an expedition.

Who Are Today’s Expedition Travelers?

Today’s expedition travelers are defined less by demographics than by their curiosity, interests, and desire to experience the world in a deeper, more meaningful way.

“When I look at our best expedition clients, the pattern has nothing to do with age or income. It comes down to curiosity, because our best expedition clients are the ones who come home with a story and knowledge rather than with souvenirs,” says Shannon Fogarty, global head of product, Luxury Travel Collection.

“For years, there’s this standard picture of the expedition client, a very well-traveled, 60-something who’s done every river in Europe and is quietly wondering what’s left. That client is still a huge part of this market, and a wonderful one to work with. But the audience has broadened.

“We are seeing corporate high achievers in their 40s who want a trip with substance, or multigenerational families booking the Galápagos together, grandparents funding the grandkids to come and share an experience with them, while they are fit and healthy. And from our data, we are seeing a genuinely younger cohort—22% growth in under-45s who grew up watching David Attenborough documentaries and want the real thing on their photo reel.”

Clues to Making a Good Match

A client’s past vacations, favorite experiences, hobbies, and travel wish list can all offer valuable clues that they may be a natural fit for expedition travel.

“Any client who is very well traveled and is looking for a new or different destination is a strong contender for an expedition-style trip,” suggests Jessy LaPaglia, luxury travel advisor, Preferred Travel & Company. “Once travelers have experienced many of the more traditional destinations and are looking for something beyond the expected, expedition travel can offer access to places that are often difficult to reach any other way—and where larger ships simply can’t go.

“Multigenerational families are another great opportunity to introduce expedition travel. These journeys often offer a variety of activity levels and excursion options, allowing different generations to participate in ways that are most comfortable and meaningful to them. One family member might want to hike or kayak, while another may prefer a Zodiac excursion, wildlife viewing, or simply taking in the scenery.”

LaPaglia has found that there are also some behavioral clues that can be strong indicators. Travelers who don’t like crowds, tend to avoid cities, prefer nature and the outdoors, or are drawn to more remote and off-the-beaten-path experiences are often a good fit. Clients who prefer smaller ships and specifically say they don’t want to travel on a ship above a certain passenger count are also strong candidates for expedition travel.

From Fogarty’s perspective, “if a client’s cruising history is all small-ship, river cruises, boutique Mediterranean yachts, and they talk about how intimate it felt, that’s a strong signal. Safari clients are an obvious crossover, too, or those who love the Outback or an off-the-beaten-track experience. Anyone who’s done Africa and comes back talking more about the guide than the hotel, or about the afternoon a family of elephants blocked the vehicle for twenty minutes, has basically already had an expedition. They just haven’t put a name to it yet.”
 
She also notes that keen photographers and hikers are another natural fit. Their instinct for landscape, light, and wildlife is precisely what expedition travel rewards. Those with a genuine interest in conservation, and this group is growing, want to understand a place, not simply photograph it. 

How to Start the Conversation

For clients unfamiliar with expedition travel, how advisors introduce the idea can make all the difference in helping them see its appeal and sparking interest.

“One of the most effective approaches I’ve found is to start with the destination, not the word ‘expedition’—especially when I’m talking to a client who doesn’t consider themselves a cruiser,” describes LaPaglia.

She talks about a destination they are interested in and then highlights the benefits of experiencing it by ship: unpacking and packing just once, being well taken care of, enjoying delicious food, and having the opportunity to experience incredible destinations in a very immersive way. She also speaks about the wildlife and the access they can have from the water that they simply can’t get from a traditional land-based itinerary.

“From there, I introduce the idea of a small vessel that makes all that possible. It’s not about ‘cruising’ in the traditional sense—it’s about having a comfortable home base while getting closer to the destination,” relays LaPaglia. “I also think it’s compelling to talk about the professionals onboard, from marine biologists and naturalists to photographers, researchers and other experts who add so much depth to the experience.”

She often asks questions like, “What destinations are still on your list?” “Are you interested in seeing wildlife?” or “Would you enjoy getting somewhere that larger ships and traditional tourism can’t take you?” Those questions can open the door to a completely different kind of travel experience.

“Once they start thinking about the destination and what they could actually experience there, the small-ship expedition concept becomes much more natural. Often, they realize they’re not being asked to become a ‘cruiser’—they’re simply finding a better way to experience a place they already want to see,” reports LaPaglia.

Unlikely At First, Converted

Some of the most enthusiastic expedition travelers are clients who initially never pictured themselves taking this type of trip.

Fogarty gives this enlightening example: “There was a client who was about as far from the ‘adventure type’ as you could imagine, always booked five-star hotels, and always said, ‘I’m not a cruise person’ whenever cruises were mentioned. But she had been on a recent holiday in South Africa on a private safari with a girlfriend, and loved that it felt exclusive and personalized. We didn’t offer her a ‘cruise.’ We described it as a small, private expedition ship that would get her closer to wildlife than any safari vehicle could, with the same caliber of guiding and none of the dusty dirt roads. 

“She came back a genuinely different person after visiting the Galápagos. There was no talk of it being ‘lovely.’ She was moved by the experience. She told us she’d cried on a Zodiac coming back from watching the giant tortoises, which was not something she expected of herself. When you are learning from passionate guides, who show you things you never knew would matter to you, it counts.”

Overcoming Common Misconceptions

There are a few common misconceptions that may surface during conversations with prospects about expedition travel. Here is what they are, and how advisors can overcome them.

When someone comments about expedition travel that “It’s too expensive,” LaPaglia likes to do a true cost comparison with a land-based program that would provide access to the same destinations. Once you factor in accommodations, transportation, flights, transfers, meals, beverages, touring, and a guide, the land-based option can often cost significantly more than the expedition cruise. The expedition experience can actually provide tremendous value, particularly when you consider how much is included and the remote destinations you are able to access.

Another misconception is “I’m not adventurous enough,” which as Fogarty says, “usually means someone is picturing a research vessel with bunk beds, not a ship with a spa or a sommelier on some itineraries. We remind them the adventure is entirely optional and entirely theirs to dial up or down. Do the Zodiac landing, or watch it from the observation lounge with a glass of champagne. Nobody’s judging either way.”
 
Fogarty says her favorite objection to unpack is “I don’t cruise.” Because, she explains, “what people usually mean is ‘I don’t want to be one of four thousand people in a buffet queue.’ Expedition ships carry a couple of hundred guests, not a couple of thousand. It’s closer in spirit to a boutique lodge that happens to move overnight while you sleep, so you never have to repack.”

“The way I see expedition travel evolving is by having specialist sailings,” she continues. “Imagine having a rare astronomical experience while away, or being surrounded by people with a special interest similar to your own. This is where I see small-ship cruising heading, to far-flung latitudes and longitudes.”

Lean Into the Expedition Experts

Advisors don’t need years of expedition experience to sell this niche successfully when they know how to tap into the expertise, training, and resources available to them.

“This is where we really need to lean on all the incredible resources we have at our fingertips,” says LaPaglia. “The first thing I would recommend is pick three expedition companies and complete their trainings. The suppliers have done an incredible job at creating these webinars and trainings to help advisors understand all that expedition travel entails.

“The second thing I would do is schedule a meeting whether a phone call, zoom meeting, or personal visit with the sales representative to dive a little deeper into a particular destination or vessel. That one-on-one conversation is invaluable.

“Finally, apply for a fam trip or take advantage of any advisor rates that are offered. There truly is no better way to learn than by experiencing it for yourself.”

Start This Week With One Task

If what you’ve read so far has piqued your interest, there’s no time like the present to get started in the lucrative niche of expedition travel. You could start with just one simple task this week.

“Pull the last twelve months of bookings and look for clients whose trips already lean this way, a small-ship cruise, a safari, a rail journey through somewhere remote. Or look for clients who love photography and hiking experiences from your CRM notes,” suggests Fogarty.

“Then pick five of those names and send one photo by mail or email. It could be a Zodiac gliding past an iceberg, a bear on a riverbank, or an amazing view in a national park, and add one line: ‘Thought of you when I saw this.’ Don’t include a quote or any hard sell. I would suggest that at least one will come back with ‘ok, tell me more.’ That’s your next expedition client, sitting in a database you already own.”

FROM THE SPONSOR:
Turn Curiosity Into an Expedition

For nearly 60 years, Lindblad Expeditions has pioneered immersive exploration, bringing curious travelers closer to the world’s most extraordinary places. Today, our collaboration with National Geographic combines that expedition heritage with renowned expertise in science, photography, storytelling, and exploration.

Aboard our nimble expedition ships, your clients can experience destinations in ways traditional travel often cannot—exploring by Zodiac, kayak, or on foot; encountering remarkable wildlife; and learning alongside passionate naturalists, cultural specialists, and National Geographic experts. Our expeditions appeal to everyone from wildlife enthusiasts and photographers to active travelers, couples, and multigenerational families.

And you do not have to be an expedition expert to sell it. Build your knowledge with Expedition 360°, our training platform that will also give you access to FAM trips, then tap into our Travel Advisor Resource Hub for destination toolkits, co-brandable digital assets (Approach Guides), social content and other sales resources. Our Regional Sales Directors are also ready to help you identify the right ship, itinerary, and experience for your clients.Start with what your clients already love, then show them a new way to experience it. Because it is not simply where they go, but how they experience it that makes all the difference.