By
Laura Hyde |
Senior representatives from several expedition cruise lines will speak at the Expedition Cruise Network Conference 2026 when it takes place in London, UK, on 29-30 September.
ECN has updated the conference format for this year, separating content across two days to cater to delegates at different stages of their expedition cruising journey, ensuring “laser focus and maximum value”. Day one will target new and intermediate expedition cruise sellers with the aim of building confidence and know-how through practical sales techniques, destination knowledge and supplier insight. Meanwhile, day two has been designed for more experienced expedition specialists and will explore the trends shaping the sector, including leadership perspectives, innovation, emerging destinations, responsible tourism and commercial opportunities.
Representatives from HX Expeditions, Oceanwide Expeditions, Polar Latitudes Expeditions, UnCruise Adventures, Aqua Expeditions and other brands will share insights in panel discussions and keynote speeches as part of the ECN’s “most ambitious programme to date”. The two-day event at Glaziers Hall will also offer attendees tailored networking opportunities and one-to-one business meetings.
Confirmed contributors across the speaker and workshop programme include: Rémi Bouysset, CEO of Oceanwide Expeditions; Gebhard Rainer, CEO of HX Expeditions and Nathaniel Sherborne, senior vice president and managing director of EMEA and ANZ of HX Expeditions; Captain Dan Blanchard, CEO and founder of UnCruise Adventures; industry veteran Peter Shanks; Ponant’s UK and Ireland general manager (and ECN chair) Anthony Daniels; Mario Bounas, chief commercial officer at Swan Hellenic; Dani Bates, head of UK sales at National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions; and John McKeon, founder and chair of Polar Latitudes Expeditions. Previously, ECN confirmed keynote speeches from Mensun Bound and Dr Antonia Ward.
Other senior representatives from Aqua Expeditions, Aranui, Australis, Falklands Heritage Trust, Hapag-Lloyd, HX Expeditions, Kaptio, Mundy Cruising, National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions, Polar Latitudes Expeditions, Poseidon Expeditions, Scenic, Silversea and more, will also speak at the two-day event.
Sessions will explore citizen science in action, artificial intelligence in marketing, designing extraordinary expedition journeys, crisis leadership (including insights from Bouysset on the lessons learned from the Hantavirus incident) and turning knowledge into sales, as well as current trends and opportunities across both polar and warm-water expeditions. Workshops will enable agents to develop practical skills by working in groups to match the right operator to the right client.
“This year’s programme reflects how far expedition cruising has evolved,” said Akvile Marozaite, CEO and co-founder of ECN. “Today’s travel professionals need much more than product knowledge; they need confidence, expertise and a deep understanding of the experiences, destinations and trends shaping our sector. This is where I believe the value of ECN conference really comes into its own.
“It’s not just a travel trade event, it’s a professional and industry development platform designed to inspire new ideas, encourage collaboration and give delegates highly relevant and practical knowledge they can take straight back into their businesses. Whether someone is new to expedition cruising or one of the industry's most experienced specialists, the programme offers opportunities to learn, share best practice and develop professionally. We’re also incredibly excited about several important announcements we have planned during the conference, making this our most significant event to date.”
Find out more or register to attend the ECN Conference 2026 on the dedicated website.