Marine Hotel Association
now they are so volatile it becomes difficult to ascertain competitive pricing without taking a major risk. Since the downfall in the economy supply has been cut drastically and therefore demand becomes more pricey!!
To what do you attribute the success of BES? We are in the right place at the right time. Barcelona is now a major cruise hub in Europe and our proximity to the port offers quick and easy access to major highways to the South of Spain and into the rest of Europe, enabling us to offer efficient and timely services in all major European ports. Another key factor is our personnel who,
for the most part, have spent time working onboard cruise vessels. They understand the needs of customers and are prepared to operate 24/7.
Who are your major cruise clients? We service the whole cruise industry whether it be directly or indirectly, with a good part of our business from our existing Apollo Ship Chandlers’ clients and slowly marketing ourselves to the other players, but the process is intense and the qualification time lengthy.
What changes do you see in the cruise market? The big players are looking more at partnerships, rather than client vendor relationships and this we are ready for. We need to view the vessel as an asset needing service and support, versus a quick sale. Through our business model we have developed close and transparent partnerships, driving business forward and obviously in these times, consolidation is becoming more affluent to meet a competitive environment
The public faces of Barcelona Europe Supply
Finally, congratulations on being voted onto the Board of Marine Hotel Association (MHA). Do you have a wish list that you plan to bring about within the industry? Thanks for the congratulations. MHA is a not-for-profit professional trade association founded in 1985 with the clear purpose of improving the dialogue between cruise line management and the supplier community (something that never existed!) It was started by a group of committed suppliers (and today MHA is still totally funded by the supplier community) who saw a great need for opening up the communication and getting rid of the time honoured ‘closed door’ that existed and stifled the supplier industry. We have helped people find their way through the maze of the cruise industry more readily than they would have been able to do alone. Membership in MHA brings a camaraderie and a sense of belonging to an industry. The MHA annual convention is the only
one of its kind that focuses on the marine hotel segment. It provides a level of access that cannot be found at other venues and is also made very affordable! It’s a great way for vendors to focus new products and services. The single most important related activity for
MHA are the training programmes, all funded by the re-channelling of funds from the convention. MHA programmes have trained thousands of cruise industry staff. Since I have been nominated to the Board
my intentions are to pursue the vendor-client relationship and definitely be a proponent factor in making the MHA an evolving platform for the cruise industry hotel sector.
The 27th Marine Hotel Association annual conference and trade show will again take place at The Peabody Orlando, a definitive landmark among Orlando’s luxury hotel properties. Jo Austin will represent Onboard Hospitality at the show.
Conference & trade show agenda Sunday, April 15, 2012 8am-1pm: 27th Golf Tournament 9am-5pm: Registration, Windermere Ballroom Foyer 10am-5pm: Silent Auction 6:30-8:30pm: Welcome Reception
Monday, April 16, 2012 8am-5pm: Registration, Windermere Ballroom Foyer 8am-4pm: Silent Auction 8-10am: Conference Breakfast 9am: Keynote Presentation – Horst Schulze, Founding President/COO Ritz-Carlton Chairman/CEO The West Paces Hotel Group 10am-4pm: Trade Show Open, Windermere Ballroom 7pm: Cocktail Reception 8pm: Dinner and Entertainment
Tuesday, April 17, 2012 8am-3pm: Registration, Windermere Ballroom Foyer 8-10am: Conference Breakfast 10am-3pm: Trade Show Open, Windermere Ballroom 7-10pm: Grand Finale
MHA returns to Europe in 2013 MHA will be returning to Barcelona (in addition to the US) in 2013 due to the high interest out of Europe.
www.onboardhospitality.com 43
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