Patrick Collins joins Aqua Expeditions as sales manager, North America

Patrick Collins has joined Aqua Expeditions as a sales manager for North America, PAX has learned.

The small-ship expedition company, known for its river and ocean cruises in South America, Southeast Asia and beyond, shared the news in a company memo earlier this week.

Toronto-based Collins will join forces with Monika Weinsoft, director of sales, and Cheryl Jiffo, sales manager, to drive Aqua Expeditions' continued growth in Canada and the U.S.

Collins’ career in travel began in 2013 as a product development professional, specializing in creating group coach and cruise programs.

Over the years, he has held business development roles at Adventure Canada, where he found his niche in expedition cruising, exploring the Canadian Arctic, Northern Europe, and Atlantic Canada.

Collins’ resume also includes past roles at MSC Cruises and Ensemble, where he worked directly with Canada’s travel trade.

With his extensive experience in both large and small-ship cruising, Collins is eager to work with Aqua’s trade partners across Canada and the United States.

"Expanding our North American team, especially with Patrick’s expertise, allows us to better meet the growing demand for our expeditions and strengthen our relationships with trade partners across the region," said Weinsoft in a statement. "With Patrick based in Toronto and his deep understanding of the Canadian market — along with our dedicated presence across North America — we are perfectly positioned to enhance our engagement with travel advisors and elevate the Aqua Expeditions experience throughout the region."

Francesco Galli Zugaro, founder and CEO of Aqua Expeditions, added that “our trade partners have been instrumental in our success over the years, and we deeply value these relationships that we have built.”

“Our journey began in 2007 with just one ship in the Peruvian Amazon and since then, we’ve expanded to incredible destinations like the Mekong Delta, East Indonesia, and Galapagos Islands. We are now looking forward to the launch of our brand-new expeditions in Seychelles and Tanzania in late 2025. As our fleet grows, so does our global team, and with Patrick on board, we remain committed to providing the support our partners need to grow alongside us,” he said.

In January, Ponant Explorations Group acquired a majority stake in Aqua Expeditions.

The transaction is aimed at helping Aqua Expeditions expand its footprint globally, enabling the company’s growth as a destination specialist.

Aqua Expeditions currently operates small ships in the Galápagos, Raja Ampat, Komodo, Spice Islands, the Mekong River, and the Peruvian Amazon River. 

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