Robert Halfpenny joins Quark Expeditions as director of sales Australia

Halfpenny, the former MD of Aurora Expeditions, is replacing Jarrod Zurvas who has relocated to Greece as director of global sales for Variety Cruises.

Halfpenny has an impressive career that has included senior roles with Virgin Australia, Globus and Rocky Mountaineer. 

Australian expansion supports Ultramarine

His appointment is part of a major expansion of Quark’s Australian sales operations following delivery of the company’s first owned newbuild, Ultramarine, from the Brodosplit shipyard in Croatia earlier this year. 

‘Since 1991 Quark Expeditions has been pioneering polar expedition travel and remains committed to specialising in the polar regions,’ VP Sales Thomas Lennartz said. 

Lennartz said the expanded Australian sales team will enable Quark to build closer, more effective partnerships with tour operators, as well as wholesale and retail travel partners globally. 

‘I have admired Quark Expeditions’ commitment over the last 31 years to consistently pioneer new life-changing polar experiences for their guests,' Halfpenny said.

APAC marketplace

‘I am thrilled to join the Quark Expeditions team and continue to build the brand and sales with the trade here in the APAC marketplace.

‘Quark Expeditions has robust plans for developing and building the brand in the APAC region and I am extremely excited to work with the global sales team and reconnect with my travel industry network.’