Big interview
Left: A luxury cruise liner docks in the Bay of Kotor, a popular destination for tourists.
Opposite: Marie-Caroline Laurent, the new director general of Cruise Line International Association.
“I’m delighted to stay within the transport and tourism industry,” says Laurent. “At the same time, after 20 years in aviation, I’m very excited to be joining the cruise sector, and hopefully bring some of my learnings to my new role.”
Laurent started her career as an adviser in the French ministry of foreign affairs, before moving on to a range of policy roles. She served as a parliamentary adviser to the European Parliament, and as senior policy officer at the American Chamber of Commerce to the EU, eventually joining IATA in 2011.
“My entire career so far has been in the arena of international and European politics,” she says. “I have had the good fortune to have studied in France, Austria, Hungary and Belgium, which inspired my passion for working in a multinational, multicultural environment.”
Ensuring a quality experience Laurent’s passion for transport was apparent very early on in her career. She had always been interested in the interplay between the public and private sector and joined the Association of European Airlines at a time when the aviation industry was introducing its ban on liquids in cabin aircraft. One of her first tasks was to work with governments to find the right level of restrictions. How could passenger safety be balanced against an acceptable travel experience? This challenge set the tone for her time at
IATA, where she served as assistant director for EU affairs. So, it was often necessary to apply operational measures – clamping down on anything that could jeopardise safety or sustainability – but in a way that did not compromise the passenger experience. This balancing act will surely resonate with anyone who works in the cruise sector. “Transport is highly regulated as it touches everyone’s lives,” says Laurent. “Whether we travel
World Cruise Industry Review /
www.worldcruiseindustryreview.com
for necessity or leisure, the quality of the experience matters to us all. Infrastructure, safety and customer service are all important to the travelling public and to the communities supporting transport infrastructures and operations.” Moving into the cruise industry, then, was a very natural transition for Laurent. Both the aviation and cruise industry are highly regulated, requiring an engagement with multiple governments at an international, national and local level. Each have also had a less than rosy time dealing with the fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic, and have made firm commitments towards decarbonising and sustainability in recent years.
“Since taking up my role, I have been impressed by the scale of efforts already under way to introduce more sustainable practices,” says Laurent. “Cruise operators are leading the way to meet the maritime decarbonisation challenge through support for research and development of new technologies.”
“Since taking up my role, I have been impressed by the scale of efforts already under way to introduce more sustainable practices.”
A new kind of cruising
In her new position at CLIA, she will be looking to showcase cruising as a sustainable form of tourism, casting off the polluting image that still dogs the sector today. As she points out, many CLIA members have invested heavily in new technologies and emission reduction projects, as well as having made progress in their sustainability efforts, even since 2020.
“It is well understood that safety is an operational imperative for cruise. What may be less well known is the industry’s commitment to sustainability,” she
9
nadtochiy/
Shutterstock.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65
