Cindy D’Aoust, Clia


Clia unveils podcast plan


Cunard’s The Greatest Showman medly


D’Aoust: UK passengers to top two million this year


The number of ocean cruises taken by UK passengers is tipped to surpass the two-million mark by as early as this year.


Just two months ago, Clia said


it expected to reach the milestone “by 2020” after the rate of growth slowed in 2017. The number of cruises taken by British and Irish holidaymakers rose to a record 1.96 million in 2017 – up 0.5% on the previous year but down markedly on the 5.6% growth recorded in 2016. But Clia president and chief


executive Cindy D’Aoust told delegates she expected global carryings of 28 million in 2018, with the UK topping two million. D’Aoust said: “We are growing,


we are fun and we are innovative. “When you think about the


cruise generation, look around this room – you represent the profile of people we are talking about.” She said delegates were well placed to be successful when selling cruise, adding that the younger generation “wanted to experience things”. “While [millennials] mostly


do not have disposable incomes, they want to experience things,” she said, adding: “Focus on what they will experience. This group of cruisers will be spontaneous.” But she issued a warning to


agents who hope to sell cruise to millennials. “If you talk about advance planning you run the risk of turning them off,” she added. “To be effective, know who they are and why they are travelling. “You are the profile [of cruise


passengers]; use that to your advantage.” D’Aoust said Clia was “proud”


that the cruise industry was “taking the lead” when tackling the issue of environmental sustainability. “In 2018, it is time to take the


next step forward in terms of our leadership,” she said. “We must speak with one voice. “I think you know that holidays


that aren’t good for local habitats won’t be good for holidaymakers.”


Clia launches podcasts and vodcasts


Clia is to launch a quarterly podcast, a weekly vodcast and new river cruise specialist accreditation. Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, president and chief executive of Celebrity Cruises, will feature together with the mayor of Dubrovnik on the first podcast, which will be available to download on Clia’s Cruise Experts site at the end of June. Weekly vodcasts will offer a 60-second roundup of the week’s cruise news. Andy Harmer, Clia UK & Ireland director, said the results of a


recent agent survey had prompted the move to introduce the vodcast and podcast. Agents will also have the chance to work towards becoming a river cruise ambassador for the first time in the coming months.


Sir Ranulph Fiennes


Sir Ranulph Fiennes reveals motivation for his explorations


Sir Ranulph Fiennes told travel agents that aspiring explorers with a religious faith helped him choose team members. The world’s greatest living


explorer detailed his record- breaking achievements on board Princess Cruises’ Royal Princess in the final session of the 2018 Clia Conference. Explaining how he put


together his team, he said: “Motivation is a big problem. We found that if they have a religious faith – it does not matter what – that was pretty good. It is helpful. “They can beat that wimpish


voice in their heads.” Fiennes’ teams have ranged


from two to eight people. Fiennes said he was spurred


on to achieve history-making feats, such as travelling from pole to pole and climbing Everest as a pensioner, by his father and grandfather. “I have another motivation:


that the people that I respect the most – my father and my grandfather – are watching me,” he said. “I have never met them but I have heard many stories about them.”


31 May 2018 travelweekly.co.uk 13


PICTURES: STEVE DUNLOP


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