Hurtigruten Expeditions’ current 18-day Antarctica voyage on the Roald Amundsen is a cruise industry first — as members of the company's Black Traveler Advisory Board (BTAB) are onboard.
The BTAB, a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiative, is the first of its kind in the cruising industry.
"The cruise industry is behind other sectors of the travel industry when it comes to DEI,” said Anders Lindstrom, head of public relations and communications for the Americas at Hurtigruten Expeditions. “We want to change that by creating something that will challenge the cruise industry.”
The cruise industry is behind other sectors of the travel industry when it comes to DEI. We want to change that by creating something that will challenge the cruise industry.
The board is presided over by Stephanie M. Jones (founder of the Cultural Heritage Economic Alliance) who serves as the chair; Kareem George (founder of Culture Traveler); Naledi Khabo (CEO of the Africa Tourism Association); Rue Mapp (founder of Outdoor Afro); Martinique Lewis (president of the Black Travel Alliance); and Patricia Yarbrough (founder of Festival at Sea).
Each board member is dedicated to increasing visibility and inclusivity of Black travelers.
"We’re not only bringing in Black travel leaders, we’re investing in them as professionals to advance their visibility within the cruise industry,” Lindstrom said.
Antarctica for Black Travelers
Sailing to Antarctica is the first voyage the board is taking together to fully experience Hurtigruten Group’s cruising products that haven't yet been marketed to Black travelers. Jones has been surprised by the number of Black people who’ve told her Antarctica is on their bucket list. Antarctica wasn’t on her radar, she says, but now that she’s here she said [traveling here] is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"Being able to have representation where we're not normally is very attractive,” said Black Travel Alliance’s Lewis. “If we don't know, we don't necessarily go, but the moment we see somebody who looks like us, we know we're safe and it's a brand you can trust. I’m the first in my family to go to Antarctica — it's a sensational experience.”
If we don't know, we don't necessarily go, but the moment we see somebody who looks like us, we know we're safe and it's a brand you can trust.
“Hurtigruten is being intentional about putting forth effort to reach Black travelers to show that this expedition cruising is accessible to them,” Jones added.
In December, the BTAB will travel on the new Hurtigruten Expeditions West Africa Archipelago Cruise itinerary to Cape Verde and the Bissagos Islands from Dakar, Senegal.
Making Expedition Cruising More Inclusive
After the voyages, the BTAB will identify how Hurtigruten Group can become more inclusive of Black travelers.
“By the time we get off of this ship, more will be on Hurtigruten’s radar in terms of things we’d like to see,” Lewis said.
In the onboard library in the science center, Lewis plans to leave behind her copy of “The Call of Antarctica: Exploring and Protecting Earth’s Coldest Continent” by Leilani Raashida Henry, which tells the story of the author’s father, George W. Gibbs Jr., the first Black man to reach Antarctica.
“When people come onboard, I want them to know about this Black man who made it to Antarctica and might not be on their radar,” she said.
Jones believes the BTAB will make a difference for Black travelers in the cruise industry.
"Every segment of the travel industry needs to do work in the DEI space,” she said. “Typically, Black and Brown people are in service positions — you don't see a lot of color in the C-suite or upper management positions. The travel industry at large must create equitable opportunities and be intentional about leveling the playing field so that people of color can be represented throughout all levels of the organization.”
Every segment of the travel industry needs to do work in the DEI space. Typically, Black and Brown people are in service positions — you don't see a lot of color in the C-suite or upper management positions.
Hurtigruten hopes the board will help diversify the company's employees.
“We want to attract a more diverse workforce and client base by reaching those who may not have previously seen expedition cruising as an option because they’ve never been represented in marketing material or the company culture,” Lindstrom said.
Hurtigruten Group compensated board members and donated $5,000 to their organization or nonprofit of choice that benefits the Black travel industry, such as The Black Travel Alliance, The Collective, Blacks in Travel & Tourism Collaborative, Outdoor Afro, American Society of Travel Advisors (funding for professional development opportunities for Black Travel Advisors), and Spelman College Gordon Zeto Center for Global Education.
The BTAB initiative is slated to last one year.
"The board will create a foundation on how we can better appeal to Black travelers and industry partners, future employees and identify various opportunities in the future,” Lindstrom said.
Lewis hopes other cruise companies will take notice.
“I'm excited to see the ripple effect,” she said. “The BTAB is the inaugural group that will literally be the change we want to see. It will make a huge splash, and not just in the cruising industry, but the travel industry at large. This is the perfect blue blueprint for other travel brands to follow.”
The Details
Hurtigruten Expeditions
