MIAMI — Explora Journeys has appointed Christopher Austin as President, North America.
Based in Miami, Austin will assume full ownership of the North America teams and market for the luxury lifestyle brand, spanning the United States, Canada and Mexico. He first joined Explora Journeys in November 2020 as the brand’s Chief Sales Officer, and prior to that spent nearly three decades in leading hospitality roles, including Senior Vice President Global Marketing & Sales at another luxury cruise line and Vice President Global Luxury & Leisure Sales for a leading global luxury hotel group.
On what Austin will bring to the company in his new role, Pierfrancesco Vago, Chairman Cruise Division of parent company MSC Group, said: “Chris is ai highly respected leader in the luxury hospitality industry and was one of the founding members of the Explora Journeys leadership team, joining nearly four years ago. The appointment signifies not only his exceptional talent but also the boundless growth opportunities within our organization.
“With his extensive expertise, Chris will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our business as we welcome new luxury ships to our fleet, with EXPLORA II launching this year. We are thrilled to have him as President North America, confident in his ability to deepen our partner penetration, drive increased demand, grow consumer awareness and brand adoption and continue to build the North America organization, including in early 2025 the move into new offices in downtown Miami.”
On his new role, Austin added: “Taking the helm of Explora Journeys’ North American teams and market as President North America is both an honour and a thrilling challenge. I’m deeply committed to continuing the exceptional work of establishing our brand as a leader in luxury ocean travel. I’m excited to lead our talented teams towards even greater success and to deliver unforgettable journeys to our discerning travellers across from the United States, Canada and Mexico.”
EXPLORA I is currently sailing in North America and the Caribbean. EXPLORA II will enter service in 2024 and liquefied natural gas-powered ships EXPLORA III and EXPLORA IV will join the fleet in 2026 and 2027, respectively. EXPLORA V and EXPLORA VI will enter service in 2027 and 2028, respectively.
