Following the success of the inaugural River Cruise Academy earlier this year, the Travel Village Group has officially launched its second cohort of future river cruise experts.
The launch event took place at StayCity Piccadilly in Manchester, where business owners from across The Holiday Village network came together for a day of in-depth training delivered by leading river cruise suppliers.
Delegates enjoyed expert-led sessions from Riviera Travel, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, APT Luxury Travel, Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours, and AmaWaterways, providing first-hand knowledge of the products that continue to make river cruising one of the fastest-growing sectors in travel.
Richard Cross, Travel Village Group Commercial Manager commented;
Following the success of our inaugural River Cruise Academy, we had no hesitation in launching the programme again for 2025/26. The feedback and the bookings from our first cohort speak for themselves. The Academy has helped our agents immerse themselves in the world of river cruising through training and familiarisation trips, enabling them to take their experience and knowledge back to clients and confidently offer river cruising as an alternative holiday option.
We are delighted once again to be working with our cruise line partners, and pleased to welcome Riviera Travel to the Academy for the coming year.
Lewis Quigley, Key Account Manager at Scenic & Emerald Cruises said;
We are delighted to be part of Travel Village Group’s 2025/26 River Cruise Academy, building on the success we saw from the 2024/25 cohort. The Academy enables their team to really focus on the river cruise segment, while providing an excellent platform of resources that give those new to river cruising everything they need to succeed.
The Travel Village Group River Cruise Academy was created by Holiday Village Business Development Manager Amanda Taylor and Commercial Manager Richard Cross. The programme was designed to help business owners within The Holiday Village build specialist knowledge and confidence in selling river cruises. Over the course of the Academy, delegates will complete structured supplier training, gain valuable insight into the customer journey, and many will have the chance to experience a river cruise first-hand.
One of the new participants, Holiday Village business owner Sarah Robson, shared her excitement:
I’m absolutely thrilled to have joined the Travel Village Group River Cruise Academy for 2025/26. Over the coming months I’ll be learning in-depth about a wide range of river cruise suppliers, with the opportunity to experience a river cruise myself this November. River cruising is such a unique way to travel, with something to offer so many different types of travellers, and I can’t wait to share the benefits with my clients.
The programme will run through to March 2026, culminating in a special graduation ceremony at the CLIA Conference in Amsterdam.
The River Cruise Academy underlines the Travel Village Group’s continued commitment to investing in its people and ensuring its network has the tools and expertise to deliver the very best advice and service to clients.
