Celebrity breaks out diversity-focused, open-source travel images library

Celebrity hopes its All-Inclusive Photo Project (AIPP) starts a movement, with the line calling on travel companies to help address the lack of diversity in travel imagery.

A first for Annie Leibovitz

it is the first time Leibovitz has photographed a cruise-related campaign. The other photographers include Giles Duley, an English documentary photographer and a triple amputee; Naima Green, a black, queer New York-based photographer; and Jarrad Seng, an Australia-based photographer, filmmaker and creative director of Malaysian-Chinese descent.

The collection features models, musicians, athletes, artists, activists, refugees and others, all change-makers from underrepresented groups, as they experience the varied offerings on Celebrity’s ships and in the destinations visited.

Celebrity Cruises will make dozens of the images available via a free, open-source online library for other travel brands and companies to use to help kickstart their journeys toward more inclusive travel marketing.

Challenge to conventional thinking

'For far too long, "all-inclusive" in the travel industry has meant everything on your vacation is included in one price. We set out to challenge this conventional thinking by imagining the phrase through the lens of others,' Celebrity President and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo said. 'What Annie and all of the talented artists involved in this project have captured so beautifully is that for vacations to really live up to the marketing moniker "all-inclusive," then they should start by using images that are inclusive of all, not just a few.'

Lutoff-Perlo continued: 'We want our marketing — as with everything we do as a cruise line — to represent how the world looks, and what we experience on our ships daily, as guests and crew from all walks of life work and play together to create a really special onboard environment.'

'Powerful platform' to act as a catalyst for change

Celebrity Chief Marketing Officer Michael Scheiner said global brands have a 'powerful platform to act as a catalyst of positive change,' adding: 'We know we have more work to do and we hope we inspire others to join us on this important journey. By leveraging our collective travel industry might, we can begin to make travel marketing truly "all-inclusive."'

Framed through the lenses of Leibovitz and the other AIPP photographers, the images feature people experiencing the wonder of travel.

Fashion model Jillian Mercado tries a new culinary experience on a Celebrity ship

Leibovitz's photos include Jillian Mercado, a fashion model with muscular dystrophy, trying a new culinary experience on a Celebrity ship. In another shot, John Forté, a black recording artist who rose to stardom with multi-platinum hip-hop group The Fugees and now works with at-risk youth, is pictured making memories with his family on their first cruise.

And Abby Chava Stein, the first openly transgender woman raised in a Hasidic community and a direct descendant of Hasidic Judaism’s founder, the Baal Shem Tov, is shown basking on the Resort Deck of a Celebrity ship.

Socializing on deck

Giles Duley

Giles Duley photographed Amy Conroy playing volleyball on a beach in Spain. At age 12 Conroy was diagnosed with cancer and after a year of chemotherapy and a leg amputation, went on to play wheelchair basketball for Great Britain as a three-time Paralympian, U25 world champion and MVP, and senior world and European silver medalist.

Naima Green

Naima Green captured Micah Ramos, a Filipino, non-binary model who acts as a catalyst for individuality, shown vacationing on a Caribbean island.

Jarrad Seng

Among Jarrad Seng's images is Ester Onek, a social worker, advocate and refugee from the South Sudan who made her way to Australia in 2003, on the beaches of Margaret River in western Australia.

Celebrity Cruises will launch the AIPP collection in a dedicated brand advertising campaign in early April.

This follows its 'Journey WonderFULL' global campaign launched in September.