Riviera Travel is stepping up it support to agents and customers amid ongoing disruption across European rivers by creating a Facebook group.
‘Riviera Travel Official – Low Water Updates’ has been launched in response to uncertainty over the viability of sailings due to low water levels on the Rhine and Danube.
The new community provides agents and customers with real-time updates, expert guidance and direct access to information during disruption.
It also offers timely updates, videos from senior leaders and answers to frequently asked questions, alongside the operator’s already established River Cruise Update Centre.
Riviera Trade, Partnerships and Loyalty Director Vicky Billing said: “Throughout this period we’ve learnt that guests and agent partners want more than updates. They want transparency, reassurance and the opportunity to ask questions directly. Our new Facebook community allows us to do exactly that, bringing agents closer to the latest information while giving them access to the people making decisions behind the scenes.
“We’re already seeing fantastic engagement, and while we originally launched the group to support guests during the current low water conditions, we believe it has the potential to become a long-term community.”
The Facebook group was also created to harness the ‘power of direct communities’, which were among several findings uncovered by Riviera CEO Matt Luscombe during the disruption.
He also highlighted the importance of business transparency, noting that ‘guests value honesty far more than certainty’, in a thought leadership essay shared with Travel Gossip.
It has meant the operator introduced its Five-Point promise, with Matt saying: “If we cannot deliver the experience our guests booked and expected, we will not pretend otherwise.”
Matt added that protecting that promise has resulted in ‘difficult decisions’, including cancelling departures.
Elsewhere, Matt said Riviera had invested heavily in improving forecasting and decision-making tools, including the use of AI-power technology for monitoring river conditions and identifying potential disruption earlier.
He also said Riviera’s trade partners deserved ‘enormous credit’ for playing a ‘critical role’ in supporting clients.
Matt added: “We are incredibly grateful for their professionalism and partnership. The experience has reinforced something we have always believed: strong partnerships matter most when customers need support.”
Despite the disruption, Matt expressed optimism for the future of river cruising, saying that demand remains ‘strong’, while guest satisfaction is ‘exceptionally high’. He added that Riviera will continue to invest in new ships, itineraries and technology.
