Cruise Execs Talk About Industry’s Future More Innovation ahead; Travel Agents Remain Key to Promoting, Selling Cruises April 4, 2014
Cruise ship innovation, travel agent relationships and understanding consumers' vacation needs will be critical to the cruise industry's success in the next decade, CEOs of the world's leading cruise operators said Friday. Finding ways to attract new people to cruising also will be key to growth, the cruise executives told travel agents gathered at the Cruise Lines International Association's 10th annual cruise3sixty conference in Fort Lauderdale. "The new-to-cruise is clearly what we need as an industry," said Arnold Donald, President and CEO of Miami-based Carnival Corp. & PLC, during a panel discussion about the future of cruising. Donald also said more needs to be done to promote the benefits of cruising to consumers who've never cruised. "The reality is we are the greatest value there is in vacation travel, but most people don't know that," he said. In 2014, some 21.7 million passengers are forecast to cruise globally — up from the estimated 21.3 million passengers in 2013. Still that's just scratching the surface, cruise officials said. In the future, travel agents will remain key in promoting and selling cruises.
"For all of us, travel agents are the lifeblood of our success and it will never be different," Norwegian Cruise Line CEO Kevin Sheehan said. Cruisers can also expect to see more innovative ships and "wow" features as lines compete for passengers. Looking ahead, the 95 million millennials market of consumers born between 1980 and 2000 is poised to become a significant source of new cruisers, said Christine Duffy, CLIA President & CEO and the panel's moderator. "This demographic group offers a window into the next generation of travelers and provides opportunity for serious growth," Duffy said. "They have a strong desire to travel and to share experiences."
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2014-04-04/business/fl-clia-lauderdale-cruise-conference20140404_1_travel-agents-cruise-industry-christine-duffy