Hurtigruten Reveals Its Black Traveler Advisory Board
Hurtigruten Group is taking the initiative to increase its visibility among Black travelers by launching a Black Traveler Advisory Board.
The six-member board was announced during an 18-day Antarctica cruise aboard its new hybrid vessel Roald Amundsen. The board is expected to advise Hurtigruten and have members serve as ambassadors of expedition cruising.
“The Black Traveler Advisory Board will not only help advance Hurtigruten Expeditions’ inclusivity goals, but ultimately it will help drive change within the entire cruise industry,” said Hurtigruten spokesman Anders Lindstrom, who also serves on the advisory board of the Black Travel Alliance.
Members of the board are Stephanie Jones, founder and CEO of the Cultural Heritage Economic Alliance; Kareem George, founder and principal of Culture Traveler; Naledi Khabo, CEO of the Africa Tourism Association and co-founder of Travel is Better in Color, which promotes Black participation in travel media; Martinique Lewis, co-founder and president of the Black Travel Alliance; Rue Mapp, founder and CEO of Outdoor Afro, a national nonprofit; and Patricia Yarbrough, president of Blue World Travel.
Members each receive a fee for their engagement, according to Hurtigruten, with an additional $5,000 going to the organization or nonprofit of their choice to benefit and empower Black travelers.
Board members were part of a diverse group of journalists on this exclusive voyage, according to a tweet from former Vacationer of the Week, Lola Mendez.
It was Méndez’s first time stepping onto the continent and her first time camping too!
Ok, so who’s ready to go on an epic journey to Antarctica? We are! For more information on how you can plan your trip with Hurtigruten, check out their website here.
