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news convention preview
ttglive.com
UK Cruise Convention 2009
June 17-19, 2009 ■ Dover
A new Discovery Zone at this year’s UK Cruise
o
urism
Convention will showcase the attractions of the
eenland T
leading cruise destinations. Lee Hayhurst reports
Gr
Destination skills
will lure clients in
Ace introduces
GOOD knowledge of destinations is indispensable look at other cruise itineraries and experienced
Discovery Zone
for agents looking to retain existing customers, cruisers will certainly look for new ports of call.”
according to experts in the sector. Harmer said a growing number of ports were UK CRUISE Convention delegates will get an
Ace said it had seen increasing importance realising the financial gains from cruise and were insight into what cruise destinations have to
placed on destinations by customers as the investing in facilities and excursions. offer in a new “Discovery Zone”.
cruise sector matures. It is thought cruise Esther Smith, chairman of the Association of The training event is being backed by several
customers who have already taken holidays in National Tourist Office Representatives, said destinations and tourist boards, including Antor.
tried and tested cruise destinations look for new ports such as Quebec, Jordan and Jamaica were Also due to have a presence at the convention
itineraries when they cruise again. seeking to work more closely with the cruise in- are Hong Kong Tourism Board, Cruise Baltic,
Two major consumer studies last year, one dustry to ensure they are included in itineraries. Cruise Atlantic and Visit Norway.
by Thomas Cook and another by Cruise.co.uk “Agents need to know that the destinations On Thursday morning, the Discovery Zone
for a TTG Antor seminar, also found that the have facilities for cruise customers because a lot will feature sessions on Greenland (pictured), the
destination was high up on the list of priorities. of people choose their cruise on the basis of the Baltic Sea, European rivers and the importance
Andy Harmer, Ace business development destination,” she said. of destinations.
director, said: “New-to-cruise customers will try Antor will have its own section at the conven- The latter will be presented by consultant
a Mediterranean cruise as that’s a destination tion. There is space for 10 members and slots will Graeme Payne, who has helped Ace devise its
they know. But once they have done that, they be allocated on a first come, first served basis. destination-specific online training.
Andy Harmer, Ace business development
director, said two new modules, Western
Case study
Caribbean and Alaska, should have been added
Baltic cruising ‘to
to existing modules the Baltic, Eastern Mediter-
iStockphoto
ranean, Western Mediterranean and Eastern
rise 10% in 2009’
Caribbean by the time of the convention.
Harmer said: “They can be used at point of
sale, they have interactive maps and information
THE BALTIC Sea is one of the fastest growing about ports such as currency, and you can learn
cruise destinations and has one of the most more about what the cruise experience is like.”
active associations, representing 26 members Courses will eventually be split into two
in 10 countries. sections: one on the more popular destinations,
Cruise Baltic, as one of the sponsors of the and the other looking at those that are up and
convention, will have a significant presence, ties, and from an agents’ perspective the yields coming, such as the Far East and Australasia.
alongside Scandinavian Airlines and the are higher in the Baltic Sea,” he claimed.
Scandic hotel chain. There are 25 cruise lines that sail to the
Register now
Bo Larsen, director of Cruise Baltic, said the Baltic region and ports were investing
region’s cruise market was set to grow 10% in cruise, he added, including popular
MORE THAN 60% OF UK CRUISE CONVENTION
this year, outstripping the overall growth in the St Petersburg (above), which is building a
PLACES ARE ALREADY TAKEN, SO DON’T DELAY
REGISTERING YOUR INTENTION TO BE THERE.
industry. “There are great earning opportuni- state-of-the-art cruise terminal.
VISIT UKCRUISECONVENTION.ORG
22 20.02.2009
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