Hurtigruten Expeditions’ Anders Lindström Creates Positive Waves for Real Diversity

Anders Lindström, Hurtigruten’s Head of PR & Communications for the Americas, explains why diversity goes beyond including LGBTQ+ travelers.

Vacationer always makes it a point to seek out positive changemakers in the travel industry. That’s why it will come as no surprise as to why we wanted to chat with Anders Lindström, the Head of Public Relations and Communications for Hurtigruten Expeditions. 

We talk to the native of Halmstad, Sweden – now a New Yorker – about his long career in the travel industry, why Hurtigruten Expeditions’ new Black Traveler Advisory Board is essential for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I), and what expeditions LGBTQ+ travelers should keep an eye out for this year. And since his first international trip to Madeira, Portugal at 6 years old, Lindström reveals where travel has taken him, will take him, and why Africa is at the top of his to-do list. 

Vacationer Magazine: What makes an expedition with Hurtigruten different from other expedition tour operators and adventure-focused travel companies?

Anders Lindström: Two things, in particular, set Hurtigruten Expeditions apart: science and sustainability – with sustainability being the most important one. We are the leaders in the cruise industry when it comes to sustainability, which you can see and feel all the way from how we build our ships to the food and how food waste is handled onboard. One extremely positive trend we’re seeing is that more and more Americans are doing their research on brands before choosing who to travel with, and they are specifically looking for brands that align with their values when it comes to sustainability and protecting the environment. 

The other main differentiator is the science that’s presented onboard our expedition ships, in a fun and enriching way. It’s definitely not like the traditional science classes in school. Instead, you’re almost a scientist yourself as you learn “in the field” on your landings and get close to wildlife or help conduct research with one of our many Citizen Science programs. We were the first cruise liner to have Science Centers, and still the only one to have a Chief Scientist.

Are there specific expeditions that would appeal to adventurous LGBTQ+ travelers? If so, which would you recommend?

As cliché as it sounds, we really do have something for almost everyone. If it’s one thing that LGBTQ+ travelers are known for it’s being trendsetters and going to new places or trying new experiences before they become mainstream. From that perspective alone, expedition cruising is just perfect, be it if you go to Greenland, Antarctica, or West Africa with us. But we also cruise along the Norwegian coastline, which truly is one of the most beautiful in the world, as well as Iceland, Alaska, and the British Isles, which would be ideal for someone looking for a little bit more relaxed adventure.

Are there any new expeditions, experiences, or projects you’re working on that our audience might be excited to know about?

We started the year by launching the Galapagos, and on that first departure, we had the-then most recent Amazing Race winners, Will and James, celebrating their honeymoon onboard.  

I’m also working on a major LGBTQ+ project for later this year that will be unlike anything you’ve ever seen, and we hope to do an all-LGBTQ+ expedition cruise very soon as well.

Personally, I am the most excited about our West African Islands expedition cruises that will launch in late November. As a massive Africa travel enthusiast, it’s just a must. Four full days in Cape Verde, four full days in the Bissagos archipelago and also visiting the Gambia, while starting and finishing in Dakar, Senegal – it packs in some of the most fascinating places on this planet.

What experiences do you think prepared you to step into your position as Hurtigruten’s Head of PR & Communications for the Americas?

I’ve been in the travel industry for more than 15 years now, starting as a travel journalist and editor, then moving into PR for three different airlines (SAS Scandinavian Airlines, JetBlue, and Norwegian Air), so I have a long history of knowing and understanding the travel industry. It also means I know how journalists like to work so I can support them and get them what they want and need since I used to be one myself. 

Additionally, I’ve also found ways to partner with many tourist boards and other relevant companies, making it possible to go above and beyond when promoting a destination or product.

Lastly, I have traveled extensively across all continents, which has given me a great understanding of different travel traits in various parts of the world. 

You’ve worked at Hurtigruten Expeditions for a little over a year. I heard that the Black Advisory Board was one of your personal projects or an initiative that you championed. Is that true? And if so, why do you think this was an important move for Hurtigruten?  

The Black Traveler Advisory Board is one of the initiatives I am personally extremely passionate about and the one I am the most proud of having created and launched. Diversity and inclusion are a top priority for the Hurtigruten Group, but in general, for the past few decades, D&I has almost only been focusing on LGBTQ+ travelers and ignoring so many other travelers, which is what I want to challenge and change. 

As a brand, it’s important for us to make sure that travelers of color can see themselves in our imagery, can feel that they, too, can go on expedition cruises to unique destinations around the world, and feel that they belong on those ships just as much. And for us to be a welcoming employer for expedition leaders or any other position within the company, and to find scientist partners who are Black. 

We truly believe that diversity drives business, and not just in a profit sense, but that it will make us a better company overall, which will lead to a better guest experience. So it’s a win no matter how you look at it, and I’m so grateful for the support I’ve received from our CEOs and leaders to get the independence to create and launch a board like this, which is an industry-first among travel companies, but one I hope will be emulated by others.

Is there an initiative to start an LGBTQ+ Advisory Board or a marketing campaign to encourage Queer travelers to embark on an expedition with Hurtigruten?

There is not, and I honestly believe there isn’t a need for one as the travel industry has, by far, been one of, if not the most supportive industry of the LGBTQ+ community. Airlines have been marketing themselves to gay travelers in particular since the 1990s and more and more travel brands have joined since. 

It has now been 12 years since I did ‘Love is in the Air’ at SAS Scandinavian Airlines, where we hosted the world’s first gay and lesbian weddings in the air, which was also the first major LGBTQ+ social media campaign launched mainstream. So the LGBTQ+ traveler is in a completely different league compared to Black travelers, for instance, even though their overall spend on travel is reasonably similar, which makes it completely disproportionate. 

LGBTQ+ travelers are, of course, still represented in the day-to-day work we do and we have several initiatives in the works that are aimed at LGBTQ+ explorers – one in particular that I am very excited about, which will be announced later this year. And we are a member of IGLTA (the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association). It’s the fourth company I’ve worked for that I got to join, which I think is a record!

Please tell us how you identify yourself on the LGBTQIA spectrum. Tell us if how you identify influences the way your travel. If so, how?

I’ve been a gay traveler to almost 80 countries around the world and never had any problems, whether it was in Iran, Venezuela, Malaysia, or nations where it was or still is illegal to be gay. I understand that there is a certain amount of privilege involved and I do count myself extremely lucky in the sense that I’ve gotten to see a lot of the world. 

Gay or not, you have to do your research and sometimes be a bit careful how you present yourself in some destinations. I have some countries on a potential no-go list, but at the same time, I feel it’s important to go there so the locals can meet gay people and get a whole different understanding of us and our community compared to the leaders’ “official” policy in that country. And almost always, the hospitality and mindset of people in these countries are very different from the government’s stance on human rights. 

What are the top 3 things you’d recommend to an LGBTQ+ traveler should see or do when visiting your hometown, Halmstad, Sweden? 

My hometown in Sweden isn’t very big, but I lived in Stockholm, one of the most beautiful cities in the world,  for a few years, which attracts a lot of LGBTQ+ travelers. There I would recommend Mälarpaviljongen in the summer, a pontoon that is a restaurant and bar, and an LGBTQ+ hotspot; Fotografiska, the Photography Museum, even though they do have a location in NYC now as well; and just strolling around Gamla Stan, the Old Town, before having the white chocolate cheesecake at the gay-owned Chokladkoppen (the Chocolate Cup), next to Stortorget, one of my favorite squares in the world.

What’s are your top three favorite places to visit?

Australia as I lived in Sydney for four years; Ecuador, where I’ve been fortunate to spend a lot of time the past six months; and Africa, as it’s my favorite continent to visit and I’ve been lucky to have been to nine countries there so far, with at least six more planned for later this year.

What three places are still on your bucket list to visit?

Gabon, where I’m going later this year, the Republic of Congo, and Micronesia. I prefer the off-the-beaten-track destinations. 

You’ve been in the travel industry for several years. What are some travel trends you’ve noticed recently that you’re excited about?

That diversity and inclusion is finally moving beyond the airlines and also beyond LGBTQ+ travelers, and is now DEI. And sustainability, even if there’s still a lot of greenwashing. One of the few positive things that have emerged during the pandemic is people’s bucket-list approach to travel is changing. Instead of saying they hope to go to their dream place in the next 10 years or so, people are booking those adventures now and are more focused on enjoying life experiences.