Hurtigruten taps TravCorp veteran as N. America managing director

'Gordon comes with a wealth of experience that will enable Hurtigruten to substantially grow our business in North America,' said Magnus Wrahme, chief commercial officer for Hurtigruten.

Dirker's hiring is another step in a series of moves Hurtigruten initiated this year, including expanding its strategic relationship with sales and marketing firm Global Voyages Group, adding numerous regional sales positions to further support the customers and moving its reservation call center to the US from Norway to offer easier contact and response. Dirker will be based from Hurtigruten’s new Seattle offices.

During 18 years with TravCorp, a travel and leisure group operating 24 brands inmore than 60 countries, Dirker held progressively responsible roles. Most recently, he was director of sales for Travcorp’s Brendan Vacations. Prior that, he led sales for Travcorp’s Contiki Holidays as sales director-UK/Europe.

Educated in the Netherlands, Dirker is fluent in four languages and has traveled widely.

'Booking trends prove that Hurtigruten is perfectly positioned for a market in which travelers have become much more sophisticated,' Dirker said. 'Travelers continue to look for “more authentic[ity]” so being part of a company that provides great quality, truly immersive unique cruising and travel options to some of the worlds’ most amazing yet only partially explored destinations is therefore very exciting.'

Hurtigruten fields 12 ships, each carrying 100 to 646 passengers, that operate along Norway's coast and to polar destinations including Antarctica, Greenland and the Arctic’s Spitsbergen.