Aqua Expeditions Debuts Circolo Aqua Loyalty Program, With Trade at Its Core
A new tiered loyalty platform rewards top producers with travel vouchers, commission credits, and real-time tracking through Aqua’s enhanced portal.
Photo: Courtesy of Aqua Expeditions
Aqua Expeditions is formalizing its relationship with the travel trade through the launch of Circolo Aqua, a new global loyalty program designed to reward production and streamline engagement. The company is introducing the program’s trade component first—underscoring how critical distribution partners remain to its small-ship luxury model—before unveiling a guest-facing platform later this year.
Set to debut this week during PURE Marrakech 2025, Circolo Aqua will retroactively cover bookings with departures from January 1, 2025. The first round of rewards will be issued in January 2026, based on full-year production. By tying benefits to a single calendar year and delaying redemption until the following January, Aqua is effectively aligning its reward cycle with revenue recognition, an approach that may give partners clearer forecasting.
The program splits into two parallel systems: One for individual travel advisors and one for partner companies such as tour operators and DMCs. Each operates on a four-tier ladder—Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum—determined by gross revenue in the case of individuals and net revenue for companies. This distinction avoids the common pain point of lumping all partners into a one-size-fits-all structure.
Instead of cash bonuses or opaque perks, rewards are issued as “Miles,” a points currency tied to booking volume. For individuals, Miles translate into Aqua travel vouchers worth 5–10 percent of annual gross production. Advisors must use the vouchers for their own travel, though additional guests can be covered, reinforcing first-hand product experience. For companies, Miles become backend commission credit worth 0.5–2.5 percent of net production, stacking on top of existing commission structures. Both rewards are time-bound, encouraging early-year redemption and driving pipeline consistency.
Circolo Aqua is built into the company’s enhanced Agent Portal, where partners can track tier status, earned Miles, and redemption deadlines in real time. Aqua is also layering in gamified elements such as bonus challenges and campaign incentives, tools that can drive engagement across different selling seasons. By pegging every U.S. dollar of production to one Mile, the program keeps accounting simple, a critical detail for those juggling multiple loyalty schemes.
As Aqua continues its growth trajectory—from the Amazon and Mekong to Galápagos and, in 2026, East Africa with the launch of Aqua Lares, the new platform offers a structured way to ensure partners remain closely tied to that expansion.
