Ponant
Inspire to Explore
Redefining luxury nautical travel through digital experience.
From discovery to booking
Ponant together with AKQA sets a new standard for digital hospitality, delivered in under ten months. By combining immersive storytelling and powerful performance, the platform accelerated product time-to-market by 83% and increased mobile scores by 90%, transforming how guests discover, experience and book Ponant voyages.
The Ponant website revamp was a major milestone for 2025. Looking back, I am immensely proud to have delivered a project of this magnitude on schedule, with absolutely no compromise on quality. Beyond AKQA’s technical and creative expertise, the strength of our partnership and mutual trust truly made the difference. Working with experts you can rely on implicitly is a rare luxury.
Insight
Where the voyage begins
For a modern luxury traveller, the first impression is digital. Long before guests step aboard, their journey starts online. Ponant recognised that to pioneer a new form of digital hospitality, its platform needed to deliver the same sense of wonder, anticipation and refinement as the voyage itself, making the first touchpoint as unforgettable as the destination.
Idea
Engineered for elegance
AKQA created a seamless fusion of immersive design and pioneering digital architecture to elevate the brand and refine every touchpoint. Built on a powerful headless CMS, the platform provides a stage for compelling content, with powerful imagery that awakens the desire for discovery.
Each destination is treated as a world of its own. From remote shores to hidden harbours, the individuality of each destination is celebrated through a unique design language. Dedicated colour palettes and bespoke illustrations echo each atmosphere, creating an ownable visual identity that showcases Ponant’s distinction through foundational stories.
Impact
Setting a new benchmark
Delivered in under ten months, Inspire to Explore exceeded industry benchmarks for speed and performance, establishing a new standard for digital hospitality. The platform enables an 83% faster time-to-market for new products and has increased mobile performance scores by 90%. This scalable foundation serves as both a powerful digital touchpoint and a strategic tool for expansion and growth, cementing Ponant’s position as the definitive leader in luxury exploration.
