Press Releases
View All Press Releases| WTM | 12 Oct 2009 |
World Travel Market launches first-ever Cruise Programme
World Travel Market, the premier event for the travel industry, has launched its first-ever cruise programme for WTM 2009.
Cruise is the fastest growing sector of the travel industry with eight ships launched to the UK market alone this year, and a further 10 ships to go on sale in 2010.
Telegraph and Travel Weekly cruise correspondent Jane Archer has helped WTM organise the programme, which includes a high-level panel debate involving some of the most senior cruise executives and a training session for travel agents.
Archer will chair the panel debate which takes place on Tuesday November 10th 12.30 – 1.30pm.
Speakers include;
· Stephen Park, Norwegian Cruise Line UK General Manager
· Andrew Magowan, Yachts of Seabourn Director EMEA, and
· Peter Pate, MSC Cruises Chairman.
The high-level panel will assess how cruising is weathering the financial storm and trends in the cruising industry. Key issues to be discussed include the growth in the number of younger people choosing to cruise and how to balance the requirements of people who want a traditional cruise with those looking for a more casual holiday at sea.
The panel will also look at future developments in the world of cruising, and analysing demand for additional capacity beyond 2012, when the current boom in new ship orders ends. Will we continue to see new orders on this unprecedented scale, with 10 or more ships a year being launched?
"Cruising has defied the recession and remains one of the fastest-growing sectors of the travel industry with one of the highest levels of investment. This year some 1.5 million British people are expected to take a cruise," Archer said.
"It’s a very exciting time for the industry, with a lot of change as new, younger people start to cruise, bringing their demands for a more modern product.
Archer continued: "I am delighted to have pulled together such an expert panel from the cruising industry to help me analyse these trends and access the future of cruising."
Peter Pate, MCS Cruises Chairman added: "The average age of passengers is decreasing and the market has opened up to accommodate more young couples and families, offering speciality cruises and great value for money. "World Travel Market is at the heart of the travel industry and I look forward to discussing current cruise trends and the future challenges and issues which will evidently arise."
The cruise training session is on Thursday November 12th, from 12.30pm-1.30pm and designed to help agents increase those lucrative cruise sales.
Training presentations will be given by
· Debbee Dale, Association of Cruise Experts project manager,
· Michelle Russell, Royal Caribbean International training manager UK and Ireland, and
· Bob Dixon, senior sales manager at Complete Cruise Solution, which looks after P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises, Ocean Village Cunard.
"With so many new ships coming on the market it is vital agents are up to speed with all the latest launches," said Archer. "The high value of cruises offers agents a great opportunity to increase their commission. The training sessions will give agents all the skills and information they need to make the most of the booming cruise industry."
World Travel Market Chairman Fiona Jeffery said: "Cruising is fast becoming a vital sector for the travel industry. Even in the current uncertain financial times the cruise industry has flourished with a host of new ships coming on the market.
"World Travel Market is delighted to be launching its first cruise programme. We are expecting high demand both for the panel session and the agent training session."
-ends-
About World Travel Market
World Travel Market, the premier global event for the travel industry, is the must-attend four-day business-to-business exhibition for the worldwide travel and tourism industry.
Almost 50,000 senior travel industry professionals, government ministers and international press, embark on London’s ExCeL Centre every November to network, negotiate and discover the latest industry opinion and trends at WTM.
WTM, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2009, is the event where the travel industry conducts and concludes its deals.
WTM is owned by the world’s leading events organiser Reed Exhibitions (RE), which organises a portfolio of other travel industry events including Arabian Travel Market and International Luxury Travel Market.
RE holds more than 500 events in 38 countries throughout Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific covering 47 industry sectors including aerospace & aviation, healthcare, manufacturing and sport & recreation.
In 2008 RE, part of the Reed Elsevier group, brought together more than six million industry professionals from around the world generating billions of dollars in business.
