NEWS leading cruise line bosses at annual ski forum. Lucy Huxley reports from Obertauern, Austria
Agency eyes acquisition to complement organic growth
C
Cruise line bosses show off
Cruise.co.uk awards
Elaine Ross
ruise.co.uk recorded a 38% increase in bookings in January 2023 over January 2022 and says it is “on track to execute plans to move from the number-two to
number-one” cruise retailer this year. Speaking at its annual conference in Obertauern,
Austria, where it hosted more than 20 of the leading cruise lines selling in the UK, deputy managing director Tony Andrews revealed some of the specialist’s plans for 2023. “We will continue to grow our tour
operating and commitment programme, we will complete an acquisition, and we will remain focused on growing our business with all of you,” he told suppliers. Andrews revealed
Cruise.co.uk had
had a strong 2022, with overall bookings up 18% on 2019 levels and up 21% on 2021. The specialist agency
sold 9,000 of its own packages last year, and also started to sell river cruises for the first time. Chief executive Chris Gardner said: “We have
issues decline – survey
in mainstream. Cruise lines put this down to having to sail with increased health and safety protocols. Finally,
Cruise.co.uk customers were slightly less willing to moderate
their behaviour or pay more than last year when it comes to the environmental impact of their holiday choices. Only 6% said they were planning to take fewer cruises to reduce their impact on the environment this year, compared to 12% last year. “There’s been a slight hardening of views towards the environment,”
said Gardner. “People are saying ‘sod it – I need a holiday’.” Furthermore, nearly half of respondents (45.7%) were unlikely to rule
out a line based on its sustainability credentials, up from 42% last year. “People just need a holiday right now. They don’t care too much about its environmental impact,” said Gardner.
had a really good start to wave. It’s been a good January for most [of the industry] but the question is, can we hold on to the gains we made during the pandemic? We’ve done it so far. It’s early days but we have to make sure we hold on to that performance.” Gardner said
Cruise.co.uk listens to its customers
and does not pretend to be something it isn’t. “Our customers like to research online but they don’t want to transact online and we’re being honest about that,” he said. “Others are trying to be all things to
all people but our customers want a good website and then to be seamlessly moved over to a phone call. That’s our focus rather than trying to make them transact online
when they don’t want to.” Gardner added that the business would
also be looking for “bolt-on acquisitions”. “We have been trying to make an
Tony Andrews
Attendees hit the slopes
acquisition,” he said. “There are a couple of possible deals that we are looking at. They are up in the air currently but we want to grow. “We can do that organically,
but some will be inorganic and we’re continuing to look.”
travelweekly.co.uk
9 FEBRUARY 2023
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