The Arctic Expedition Cruise Week, hosted by the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO), brought together industry leaders, destination representatives, local stakeholders, and government partners through three key events to advance sustainable and responsible expedition cruising in the Arctic.
Fostering Local Connections
The week began with a unique forum where local Arctic producers, destination management organizations (DMOs), and service providers met face-to-face with cruise operators, agencies, and industry stakeholders at Meet the Destinations & Marketplace.
Founder of Pure Arctic, Jørgen Peter Poulsen, participated for the second time, giving participants a taste of Icelandic lamb. He explained why this day is so important for his local business: “Last year we got in contact with many different operators and have since then starting to sell to several of them.”
Greenland Cruises’ Ivik Knudsen-Osterman also bought a stand to network, mingle, and promote his company: “For me it’s important to sell Greenland as a Greenlander and to encourage operators to work directly with Greenlandic companies,” he said.
Advancing Local Value Creation
The Arctic Cruise Conference continued to emphasize the importance of community engagement. AECO’s Executive Director, Frigg Jørgensen, opened the day, stating that value creation is not a choice any longer.
“In 2018, we began using the phrase community engagement, and local value creation became part of the conversations. Today, this is a prominent part of AECO’s overall objectives and a top priority for our work. Community engagement has gone from optional to operational. Because if we don’t succeed in this field, doors may close, options will shrink, and costs will rise.”
As a further initiative, AECO introduced the Made in the Arctic platform on AECO.no, enabling local producers to register their businesses and enhance their visibility among expedition cruise operators.
Science, Environment, and Geopolitics
Other key topics included the role of science and environmental monitoring—especially underwater noise from vessels—geopolitics in the Arctic and its influence on tourism operations, as well as destination updates and trends from Svalbard, Greenlandic, Icelandic, and Canadian authorities.
Celebrating Excellence
That evening, participants gathered for the Annual Dinner, where the highlight was the traditional announcement of the Puffin Award winner. This year’s recipient, Ponant, was recognized for its many valuable contributions to AECO’s community.
“This award is such a wonderful recognition for our whole team. We really value our collaboration with AECO, and it’s great to see that partnership reflected in this recognition,” said Annika Rautiola, Ponant’s Expedition Compliance Manager.
A Gathering That Matters
As the conference concluded, AECO extended its gratitude to all who contributed to meaningful dialogue and collaboration: “The impressive turnout and engaged discussions underscored a vital truth: this gathering matters. The conversations we shared were not only timely, they were essential. The Arctic is not standing still, and neither can we,” said Frigg Jørgensen.
Arctic Expedition Cruise Week is an annual event hosted by AECO in Oslo, bringing together cruise operators, destination representatives, and industry stakeholders. The three-day program includes networking and marketplace events, a full-day conference on sustainable tourism and industry best practices, and AECO’s Annual General Meeting.
The Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO) promotes responsible expedition cruise operations in the Arctic.
(AECO Wraps Up a Sold-Out Arctic Expedition Cruise Week)
Tags: ArcticAssociation of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO)Oslo
Appeared first on: Latecruisenews.com
