Light Blue announces partnership with Nicko

Light Blue Travel has been appointed the UK representative of Nicko Cruises, the German river company, for both trade and direct sales.

The Cambridge based company, which is the GSA for the American Queen Steamboat Company, will sell European departures on Nicko’s international sailings on the Rhine, Danube, Rhone, Seine, Elbe and Douro rivers.

The deal could later come to include Nicko’s Asian waterways and ocean ship.

The English language cruises will include dining, unlimited drinks,
wifi and excursions and can be booked with or without air or rail travel from the UK. Tailor-made packages, with additional pre- and post-cruise nights, will also be available.

Light Blue Travel will will pay “competitive commission” and has also confirmed that it will run fam trips, staff training, both face-to-face and via webinar. A launch trade incentive will reward those making the first 50 bookings with £50 Lovetoshop Vouchers – in additional to the usual commission.

The company is also hiring additional trade representatives, based in the north and south of England.

nicko cruises’ managing director Guido Laukamp said: “Nicko Cruises is very well known and respected as a quality cruise operator across the German speaking regions, however, the UK market is relatively untapped for us but offers huge opportunity. With the introduction of English-speaking cruises and the appointment of Light Blue Travel, to raise awareness and generate sales, we look forward to welcoming more river cruise enthusiasts from the UK and Ireland.”

Light Blue Travel’s managing director Rupert Thomson said: “I am hugely
impressed by nicko cruises’ product and portfolio and with the unabated
popularity of river cruising I see great potential for growth in the UK market. There is an increasing demand for holidays without flights and with rail travel to some of the European river cruise destinations being possible I think this will be a major USP.”