window._wpemojiSettings = {"baseUrl":"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/15.0.3\/72x72\/","ext":".png","svgUrl":"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/15.0.3\/svg\/","svgExt":".svg","source":{"concatemoji":"https:\/\/travelweekly.com.au\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-emoji-release.min.js?ver=6.7.2"}}; /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(i,n){var o,s,e;function c(e){try{var t={supportTests:e,timestamp:(new Date).valueOf()};sessionStorage.setItem(o,JSON.stringify(t))}catch(e){}}function p(e,t,n){e.clearRect(0,0,e.canvas.width,e.canvas.height),e.fillText(t,0,0);var t=new Uint32Array(e.getImageData(0,0,e.canvas.width,e.canvas.height).data),r=(e.clearRect(0,0,e.canvas.width,e.canvas.height),e.fillText(n,0,0),new Uint32Array(e.getImageData(0,0,e.canvas.width,e.canvas.height).data));return t.every(function(e,t){return e===r[t]})}function u(e,t,n){switch(t){case"flag":return n(e,"\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f","\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200b\u26a7\ufe0f")?!1:!n(e,"\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf3","\ud83c\uddfa\u200b\ud83c\uddf3")&&!n(e,"\ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc65\udb40\udc6e\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc7f","\ud83c\udff4\u200b\udb40\udc67\u200b\udb40\udc62\u200b\udb40\udc65\u200b\udb40\udc6e\u200b\udb40\udc67\u200b\udb40\udc7f");case"emoji":return!n(e,"\ud83d\udc26\u200d\u2b1b","\ud83d\udc26\u200b\u2b1b")}return!1}function f(e,t,n){var r="undefined"!=typeof WorkerGlobalScope&&self instanceof WorkerGlobalScope?new OffscreenCanvas(300,150):i.createElement("canvas"),a=r.getContext("2d",{willReadFrequently:!0}),o=(a.textBaseline="top",a.font="600 32px Arial",{});return e.forEach(function(e){o[e]=t(a,e,n)}),o}function t(e){var t=i.createElement("script");t.src=e,t.defer=!0,i.head.appendChild(t)}"undefined"!=typeof Promise&&(o="wpEmojiSettingsSupports",s=["flag","emoji"],n.supports={everything:!0,everythingExceptFlag:!0},e=new Promise(function(e){i.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",e,{once:!0})}),new Promise(function(t){var n=function(){try{var e=JSON.parse(sessionStorage.getItem(o));if("object"==typeof e&&"number"==typeof e.timestamp&&(new Date).valueOf()<e.timestamp+604800&&"object"==typeof e.supportTests)return e.supportTests}catch(e){}return null}();if(!n){if("undefined"!=typeof Worker&&"undefined"!=typeof OffscreenCanvas&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&URL.createObjectURL&&"undefined"!=typeof Blob)try{var e="postMessage("+f.toString()+"("+[JSON.stringify(s),u.toString(),p.toString()].join(",")+"));",r=new Blob([e],{type:"text/javascript"}),a=new Worker(URL.createObjectURL(r),{name:"wpTestEmojiSupports"});return void(a.onmessage=function(e){c(n=e.data),a.terminate(),t(n)})}catch(e){}c(n=f(s,u,p))}t(n)}).then(function(e){for(var t in e)n.supports[t]=e[t],n.supports.everything=n.supports.everything&&n.supports[t],"flag"!==t&&(n.supports.everythingExceptFlag=n.supports.everythingExceptFlag&&n.supports[t]);n.supports.everythingExceptFlag=n.supports.everythingExceptFlag&&!n.supports.flag,n.DOMReady=!1,n.readyCallback=function(){n.DOMReady=!0}}).then(function(){return e}).then(function(){var e;n.supports.everything||(n.readyCallback(),(e=n.source||{}).concatemoji?t(e.concatemoji):e.wpemoji&&e.twemoji&&(t(e.twemoji),t(e.wpemoji)))}))}((window,document),window._wpemojiSettings);
var breeze_prefetch = {"local_url":"https:\/\/travelweekly.com.au","ignore_remote_prefetch":"1","ignore_list":["\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/TW_LOGO_TW.svg","\/newsletter_adnewrightads_feed\/","\/newsletter_articletestnew_feed\/","\/newsletter_adnewmidsingleads_feed\/","\/newsletter_adnew_feed\/","\/newsletter_adnewmiddlebreakads_feed\/","\/newsletter_adnewrightadsnibbler_feed\/","\/newsletter_adnewmidsingleadsnibbler_feed\/","wp-admin","wp-login.php"]};
https://travelweekly.com.au/wp-content/plugins/breeze/assets/js/js-front-end/breeze-prefetch-links.min.js
window.gamData = { "gamKV": { "pagetype": "article", "site": "travel", "section": "news", "postid": "747289", "category": ['Events','Luxury',], "tags": ['aurora expeditions','steve mclaughlin',] } }
window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag.cmd.push(function() { var sizemapping1 = googletag.sizeMapping(). addSize([500, 0], []). addSize([0, 0], [320, 50]). build(); var sizemapping2 = googletag.sizeMapping(). addSize([980, 0], [970, 250]). addSize([740, 0], [728, 90]). addSize([0, 0], [320, 50]). build(); var sizemapping3 = googletag.sizeMapping(). addSize([750, 0], [1, 1]). addSize([0, 0], []). build(); // Extract article title from url getPageURL = window.location.pathname; pageURLArray = getPageURL.split('/'); pageURL = ''; while (pageURLArray.length > 0 && pageURL == '') { pageURL = pageURLArray.pop(); } // Set page-level key-values and GPT settings googletag.pubads().setTargeting('title', [pageURL]); if (window.gamData.gamKV) { Object.keys(window.gamData.gamKV).forEach(function(key) { googletag.pubads().setTargeting(key, window.gamData.gamKV[key]); }); } googletag.defineSlot('/41582723/travel2023/category/article', [1, 1], 'skin').defineSizeMapping(sizemapping3).setTargeting('pos', ['skin']).addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.defineSlot('/41582723/travel2023/category/article', [320, 50], 'sticky').defineSizeMapping(sizemapping1).setTargeting('pos', ['sticky']).addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.defineSlot('/41582723/travel2023/category/article', [[728, 90],[970, 250],[320, 50]], 'topunit').defineSizeMapping(sizemapping2).setTargeting('pos', ['topunit']).addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().setCentering(true); googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag.enableServices(); });
Travel WeeklyTravel WeeklyTravel Weekly
  • Aviation
  • Cruise
  • Destinations
Search
  • Aviation
  • Cruise
  • Destinations
  • Hotels
  • Road & Rail
  • Technology
  • Tourism
  • Travel Agents
  • Wholesalers
  • Midweek Interview
  • Partner Content
  • Events
  • Discover
  • Latest News
  • Subscribe to newsletter
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Women in Travel Awards
  • Travel DAZE
  • The Travel Awards
© 2025 The Misfits Media Company Pty Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Experiences drive Aurora Expeditions’ growth – Steve McLaughlin
Share
Subscribe
Sign In
Travel WeeklyTravel Weekly
Search
  • Aviation
  • Cruise
  • Destinations
  • Hotels
  • Road & Rail
  • Technology
  • Tourism
  • Travel Agents
  • Wholesalers
  • Midweek Interview
  • Partner Content
  • Events
  • Discover
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Women in Travel Awards
  • Travel DAZE
  • The Travel Awards
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Editorial Principles
  • Privacy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Advertise With Us
© 2025 The Misfits Media Company Pty Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Travel Weekly > Events > Experiences drive Aurora Expeditions’ growth – Steve McLaughlin
EventsLuxury

Experiences drive Aurora Expeditions’ growth – Steve McLaughlin

Staff Writers
Published on: 5th March 2025 at 11:05 AM
Staff Writers
Share
SHARE

Steve McLaughlin is at the forefront of luxury adventure travel, leading Aurora Expeditions through a period of unprecedented growth.

With a passion for immersive, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, he has been key in expanding the company’s small-ship fleet – most recently with the upcoming launch of Douglas Mawson in December 2025. As demand for experiential travel soars, McLaughlin shares insights on why destinations like Antarctica and the Arctic remain top choices for travelers seeking meaningful, bucket-list adventures.

How is the experiential travel trend playing out in the luxury market?

Experiential travel IS the new Luxury travel. The growth in recent years has been expediential. In the last 5 years Aurora Expeditions doubled its berth capacity in 2019, introducing an amazing new purpose-built small ship build launching – the Greg Mortimer.  We also doubled our fleet in 2022 launching our second small ship, the Sylvia Earle. In December 2025 we are launching our third small ship to our fleet – Douglas Mawson – allowing Aurora to visit even more amazing destinations globally.

What are people always willing to splurge on? 

At Aurora Expeditions our top selling destinations continue to be Antarctica and Arctic. These Unique “Bucket List” travel experiences are always in demand, with Aurora offer Small Ship experiences and big adventures.

What is your most memorable Aurora travel moment to date?

Entering the freezing waters in Antarctica and participating in the Polar Plunge. Very refreshing!

What is the one thing that people don’t know about Aurora?

Aurora Expeditions is starting its new Antarctica voyages from December this year, travelling to Ross Sea & East Antarctica departing from Tasmania and New Zealand. How amazing to have the opportunity to travel to the Australian claimed Antarctica territory.

SUBSCRIBE NOW FOR FREE
Sign up to receive a subscription to the Travel Weekly daily email newsletter incorporating Travel Today
TAGGED:aurora expeditionssteve mclaughlin
Share

Latest News

Cameron Daddo and Miguel Maestre for Luxury Escapes season 3.
Foxtel Group’s Luxury Escapes: The World’s Best Holidays begins filming third season
May 12, 2025
Hawaiian Airlines celebrates Disney's Lilo & Stitch live-action movie.
Hawaiian Airlines celebrates live-action Lilo and Stitch movie with a new look Airbus A330
May 12, 2025
A view of the beautiful islands of Palau.
SPTE 2025: A United Pacific Calls for sustainable travel
May 12, 2025
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo set to dazzle Australian audiences for 75th anniversary
May 12, 2025
//

The Travel Weekly is the hub of our digital offering.

About TW

  • About
  • Contact
  • Editorial Principles
  • Privacy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Advertise With Us

Top Categories

  • Aviation
  • Cruise
  • Destinations
  • Hotels
  • Road & Rail
  • Tourism
  • Travel Agents

Sign Up for Our Newsletter



Travel WeeklyTravel Weekly
Follow US
© 2025 The Misfits Media Company Pty Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?

Not a member? Sign Up
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('skin'); });
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('topunit'); });
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.defineSlot('/41582723/travel2023/home', [300, 250],'mrec3') .addService(googletag.pubads()) .setTargeting('pos', ['mrec3']) googletag.pubads().enableLazyLoad({fetchMarginPercent: 50,renderMarginPercent: 0,mobileScaling: 2.0}); googletag.enableServices(); googletag.display('mrec3'); });
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.defineSlot('/41582723/travel2023/category/article', [300, 250],'endarticlemrec') .addService(googletag.pubads()) .setTargeting('pos', ['endarticlemrec']) //googletag.pubads().enableLazyLoad({fetchMarginPercent: 50,renderMarginPercent: 0,mobileScaling: 2.0}); googletag.enableServices(); googletag.display('endarticlemrec'); });
var timeout=100; if(window.innerWidth<=500) timeout=10000; setTimeout(function(){ jQuery(window).resize(); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.defineSlot('/41582723/travel2023/category/article', [300, 250],'mrec1') .addService(googletag.pubads()) .setTargeting('pos', ['mrec1']) // googletag.pubads().enableLazyLoad({fetchMarginPercent: 50,renderMarginPercent: 0,mobileScaling: 2.0}); googletag.enableServices(); googletag.display('mrec1'); }); } , timeout);
googletag.cmd.push(function() { var sizemapping5 = googletag.sizeMapping(). addSize([980, 0], [[300, 250],[300, 600]]). addSize([0, 0], [300, 250]). build(); googletag.defineSlot('/41582723/travel2023/category/article', [[300, 250],[300, 600]],'mrec2') .addService(googletag.pubads()) .defineSizeMapping(sizemapping5) .setTargeting('pos', ['mrec2']) googletag.pubads().enableLazyLoad({fetchMarginPercent: 50,renderMarginPercent: 0,mobileScaling: 2.0}); googletag.enableServices(); googletag.display('mrec2'); });
(function () { const yesStorage = () => { let storage; try { storage = window['localStorage']; storage.setItem('__rbStorageSet', 'x'); storage.removeItem('__rbStorageSet'); return true; } catch { return false; } }; const readingSize = yesStorage() ? sessionStorage.getItem('rubyResizerStep') || '' : '1'; if (readingSize) { const body = document.querySelector('body'); switch (readingSize) { case '2': body.classList.add('medium-entry-size'); break; case '3': body.classList.add('big-entry-size'); break; } } })();
const lazyloadRunObserver = () => { const lazyloadBackgrounds = document.querySelectorAll( `.e-con.e-parent:not(.e-lazyloaded)` ); const lazyloadBackgroundObserver = new IntersectionObserver( ( entries ) => { entries.forEach( ( entry ) => { if ( entry.isIntersecting ) { let lazyloadBackground = entry.target; if( lazyloadBackground ) { lazyloadBackground.classList.add( 'e-lazyloaded' ); } lazyloadBackgroundObserver.unobserve( entry.target ); } }); }, { rootMargin: '200px 0px 200px 0px' } ); lazyloadBackgrounds.forEach( ( lazyloadBackground ) => { lazyloadBackgroundObserver.observe( lazyloadBackground ); } ); }; const events = [ 'DOMContentLoaded', 'elementor/lazyload/observe', ]; events.forEach( ( event ) => { document.addEventListener( event, lazyloadRunObserver ); } );
https://travelweekly.com.au/wp-includes/js/jquery/jquery.form.min.js
var foxizCoreParams = {"ajaxurl":"https:\/\/travelweekly.com.au\/wp-admin\/admin-ajax.php","darkModeID":"RubyDarkMode","cookieDomain":"","cookiePath":"\/"};
https://travelweekly.com.au/wp-content/plugins/foxiz-core/assets/core.js
https://travelweekly.com.au/wp-includes/js/dist/hooks.min.js
https://travelweekly.com.au/wp-includes/js/dist/i18n.min.js
wp.i18n.setLocaleData( { 'text direction\u0004ltr': [ 'ltr' ] } ); wp.i18n.setLocaleData( { 'text direction\u0004ltr': [ 'ltr' ] } );
https://travelweekly.com.au/wp-content/plugins/contact-form-7/includes/swv/js/index.js
( function( domain, translations ) { var localeData = translations.locale_data[ domain ] || translations.locale_data.messages; localeData[""].domain = domain; wp.i18n.setLocaleData( localeData, domain ); } )( "contact-form-7", {"translation-revision-date":"2024-03-18 08:28:25+0000","generator":"GlotPress\/4.0.1","domain":"messages","locale_data":{"messages":{"":{"domain":"messages","plural-forms":"nplurals=2; plural=n != 1;","lang":"en_AU"},"Error:":["Error:"]}},"comment":{"reference":"includes\/js\/index.js"}} );
var wpcf7 = { "api": { "root": "https:\/\/travelweekly.com.au\/wp-json\/", "namespace": "contact-form-7\/v1" }, "cached": 1 };
https://travelweekly.com.au/wp-content/plugins/contact-form-7/includes/js/index.js
var themeMyLogin = {"action":"","errors":[]};
https://travelweekly.com.au/wp-content/plugins/theme-my-login/assets/scripts/theme-my-login.min.js
https://travelweekly.com.au/wp-content/plugins/breeze/assets/js/js-front-end/breeze-lazy-load.min.js
document.querySelectorAll('img[data-breeze]').forEach(img=>{if(img.getBoundingClientRect().top<=window.innerHeight){img.src=img.getAttribute('data-breeze');img.removeAttribute('data-breeze')}});
https://travelweekly.com.au/wp-content/themes/foxiz/assets/js/jquery.waypoints.min.js
https://travelweekly.com.au/wp-content/themes/foxiz/assets/js/rbswiper.min.js
https://travelweekly.com.au/wp-content/themes/foxiz/assets/js/jquery.mp.min.js
https://travelweekly.com.au/wp-content/themes/foxiz/assets/js/jquery.ui.totop.min.js
var foxizParams = {"twitterName":"travelweeklyaus","sliderSpeed":"5000","sliderEffect":"slide","sliderFMode":"1","crwLoadNext":"1","singleLoadNextLimit":"20","liveInterval":"600"};
https://travelweekly.com.au/wp-content/themes/foxiz/assets/js/global.js
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('sticky'); });