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The first Ace River Cruise Expo attracted 253 delegates. TTGfinds out what some of them thought:
CATHERINE BROWN, OWNER OF CRUISE HOLIDAYS “We started trading in April, and have been selling both
river and ocean, but I really wanted to find out about river cruising because I think it’s such an expanding market. I’ve picked up things that I wouldn’t have got just from looking at the brochure.”
PAUL SHARP, AGENCY SALES MANAGER AT THE RIVER CRUISE LINE
“Everyone wants to sell river
cruise but they’re not sure how to. It’s great that Ace has done this to educate people about the sector and teach people what river cruising is all about.”
PHIL HINDLE, ASSISTANT MANAGER, CATHEDRAL CITY TRAVEL “We’ve been wanting to sell more European river
cruises for a long time, and this weekend has opened our eyes to it. I hadn’t previously grasped the variety of river cruises on offer.”
MICHAEL BOWERS, NATIONAL SALES MANAGER, SHEARINGS “It’s great that the agents can come to a place
that’s a river cruise destination and they can see all the different ships. They can see what the key selling points are on each ship, from three star to five star vessels.”
NICOLE EAVES, DIRECTOR OF GARSTANG TRAVEL “Coming here has given us the knowledge and confidence
to sell more river cruise. It’s especially great that they let you stay onboard – having a night on the ship is an invaluable experience. I would come again next year without a doubt.”
12 01.12.2011 Around 140,000 Brits will sail on river cruises in 2011
NEXT YEAR will see a number of changes for the Association of Cruise Experts, its director revealed at the organisation’s first River Cruise Expo in Amsterdam. As well as alterations to the UK Cruise Convention, Ace director Andy Harmer told delegates that there would also be changes with Ace and its training programmes, and that the association would be using agents’ feedback for future training. “We know that in these economically challenging times, we need to change as a sector, as an association and as a travel agent’s body,” Harmer said. “At Ace we are working to look at river cruising differently. We are going
feedback, and would host lunches across the country. “We want our agent partners to tell us what is happening out there,” he added. It came as Harmer said that
140,000 UK cruise passengers were expected to sail on river cruises in 2011, and that agents should capitalise on the growing sector. “We know it’s a challenging time
Harmer: looking at river sector differently
to have a huge investment for our training, especially with our e-learning programme, which we will launch next year.”
Harmer said Ace would also hold a series of open forums over the next 12 months to receive agents’
for everyone but it’s also important to look at the ways we can do things differently,” he said. Harmer added that there was
a strong likelihood there will be another Ace River Cruise Expo next year, after agents hailed the convention as “one of the best travel events of the year”.
Ace to chart new waters after river expo success
The Association of Cruise Experts held its first River Cruise Expo last week, attracting more than 250 agents and river cruise operators. Sophie Griffiths reports from Amsterdam
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