Alexandria, Virginia, April 10, 2024 — In response to a recent story in OpenJaw about Viking Cruises going public, Zane Kerby, President & CEO of the American Society of Travel Advisors, comments on Viking Cruises' plan to grow direct sales.
"Viking wouldn’t be the first company to try and have their cake and eat it too when it comes to guidance regarding their stock price. Travel Advisors book nearly 59% of all cruises in the U.S. By 2026 they'll be selling more than 70% of all cruises. And, unlike the U.S. domestic airline industry, there is lots of competition in the river cruise market, with a dozen or more fantastic options. Viking would be wise to embrace the U.S.-based travel advisor as their primary distribution channel, because, quite frankly, they are."