RIVER CRUISE
CLIA CONFERENCE 2017
2017 River Cruise Excellence Awards
Clia honoured top-performing agent members at its River Cruise Excellence awards. The awards, now in their
second year, were presented by Clia senior vice-president Andy Harmer and Travel Weekly editor-in-chief Lucy Huxley at the Mövenpick Hotel Amsterdam City Centre. This year saw the addition
Ellen Bettridge (right), on stage with Travel Weekly’s Lucy Huxley
All the Clia River Cruise Excellence award-winners
Uniworld tips its U brand to succeed despite ‘light’ sales
The boss of Uniworld said she is confident its new youth river cruise brand will be a “success” despite admitting UK bookings had been “light”.
The luxury river cruise line launched U by Uniworld earlier this year exclusively for 21-45-year-olds. It features pub crawls during overnight stops, later breakfast times and onboard silent discos on its sailings on the Seine, Danube and Rhine. Earlier this month Uniworld announced it had taken eight of its
U by Uniworld sailings on its ships The A and The B off general sale to offer places on board to agents of all ages to showcase the product. President and chief executive
Ellen Bettridge said: “I have got two ships doing this and to make [the concept] work I need 7,000 passengers next year, which is not that many. I think it is going to be pretty easy to make this a success. “I think that the word has just
got out about the product. I think this is an incredible opportunity. “Bookings have been light [from the UK]. I think there are a lot of
people watching us and seeing if this is going to work or not.” After her keynote speech at the
conference, Bettridge told Travel Weekly she was not worried about
UK bookings for U by Uniworld. She added: “Things are just
getting started, so I am not surprised that they are light. We are rocking and rolling now.
“The biggest question I have had
is ‘I need to see this product, I need to understand this product to sell it’. Last week we opened up these eight sailings to agents, so take your chance and go for it.” Bettridge also said two new ships, The C and The D, were
being planned. › News You Can Use, page 23
Hawke hails innovative brand and C5 show
U by Uniworld has been praised by Clia for “appealing to a totally different demographic” by offering millennial-only cruises. Giles Hawke, deputy chairman of Clia UK & Ireland, said: “I would
like to think it would help all of us as river cruise lines and you, travel agents, to attract new customers into river cruise and sell them the right holidays. “I applaud what U by Uniworld have done with their new product.
It’s a really exciting innovation. It is out there appealing to a totally new demographic for the river cruise market.” Hawke also highlighted the efforts of former cruise ship singer and TV presenter Jane McDonald, who fronts Channel 5’s television programme on cruising.
“I think Jane McDonald has done a massive job for river cruising
this year,” he said. “Forget which brands she has travelled with; she has gone out there and promoted and sold river cruise. I think Jane will continue to do a huge amount for us in the future.”
Winners: River
Cruising.co.uk
23 November 2017
travelweekly.co.uk 11
of two categories: River Cruise Ambassador of the year (Agent) and Special Recognition Award. THE 10 WINNERS WERE: l Best River Cruise Newcomer: The Vacation Company l Best Marketing Promotion of River Cruise – Online:
RiverCruising.co.uk (pictured) l Best Marketing Promotion of River Cruise – Homeworker: Travel Counsellors l Best Marketing Promotion of River Cruise – Retail: Miles Morgan Travel l Best Overall Performance – North: Blue Water Holidays South: Planet Cruise l River Cruise Agent of the Year: Gill Williams,
RiverCruising.co.uk l River Cruise Ambassador of the Year (Agency):
RiverVoyages.co.uk l River Cruise Ambassador of the Year (Agent): Janet Whittingham, Travel Counsellors l Special Recognition Award: Jill Johnson,
Cruise.co.uk
PICTURES: STEVE DUNLOP
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