 |
COMPAGNIE du Ponant is set to give Aussie agents a true experience of its offerings, with next year’s Cruiseco conference in Port Douglas coinciding with a visit to Australasian waters by its L’Austral luxury vessel. In Australia last week, Ponant’s commercial director Philippe Mahouin told TD that Australia is a key focus for the line, and hailed the efforts of its local representative, Travel The World. “We’re seeing continuing extraordinary growth out of Australia,” he said, with popular itineraries incl the Mediterranean, North Africa and the Great North. L’Austral will undertake a northern Australian itinerary at the end of Mar, crossing from French Polynesia to call in Cairns, Cooktown, Townsville and Darwin before heading on to Bali and Singapore – and while here agents will have the opportunity for inspections. “This is the first step to greater awareness,” Mahouin said, with Ponant expanding capacity with a recently ordered third vessel which will be a sister ship to the 132-passenger L’Austral and Le Boreal. Mahouin is pictured above at Sydney’s Rockpool restaurant with TTW’s Michelle Taylor. |
