The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection has expanded its Australia-based Asia Pacific operation with the addition of two executives to the team. Their induction into the local outfit – foreshadowed first by LATTE – comes as The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection prepares to open its Asia Pacific headquarters in Sydney this month, close to 12 months since the appointment of Seb Seward as Vice President and General Manager, Asia Pacific.
In a further sign of commitment to the Australian market, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection has adopted Australian Dollar pricing, giving travel advisors more confidence in offering the brand’s ultra-luxury yachting experience in local currency.
The latest recruits in Australia are reservations agents, Byron Fenwick and Tyler Parker. Both are well versed in the travel industry, with Fenwick previously working in guest facing roles at Virgin Australia and Parker most recently working for Tourism Australia in Europe. Another Sydney-based executive for the team is also understood to be under consideration.
The implementation of Australian Dollar pricing is a big power play by The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. Until Wednesday, pricing was in US Dollars.
Seward explained the rationale behind the AUD adoption, telling LATTE:
“We heard loud and clear from our luxury travel advisor partners that implementing AUD would make selling our unique product easier for them and their clients, so we made this a priority. We have also worked to streamline our account registration process. We want to be easy to work with and we want that signature Ritz-Carlton service to be evident from the first interaction with us.”
The new office, located within the iconic Australia Square building, will officially open next week, with an intimate ribbon cutting ceremony to be held on 19 June.
It’s clear The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is here for the long-haul, with the brand signing a five-year lease at the site, and Seward has grand plans for the team, which could number as many as a dozen staff in the foreseeable future.
Seward said “We didn’t rush this recruitment as our people, or ladies and gentlemen in Ritz-Carlton
language, are truly central to the experience at all touchpoints. Anastasia and I are delighted to officially welcome Tyler and Byron, two outstanding professionals, to the team, after they spent the past month completing intensive training in Malta, and experiencing our yachts firsthand in Europe.
LATTE is excited to announce it will be onboard the shakedown voyage of The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s third yacht, Luminara, in Europe at the end of this month.
LATTE will be sailing with RCYC’s executives, including Seward and Anastasia Kotanidis, Director of Travel Partnerships, Australia & New Zealand, who joined the brand in March. We’ll join a group of Australian advisors, sailing from Barcelona to Rome.
More from onboard Luminara later this month.
