Travel Agent - February 4, 2008 - (Page 79)

CLIA, Agents Predict Cruise Biz Growth In ’08, Though It Could Be Limited Hanrahan, CLIA’s marketing committee chairman and president and CEO of Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Cruises, noted continued gains from the European market, which he compared to growth in U.S. passengers 15 years ago. For the annual report, CLIA polled 900 travel agents on a host of topics. They reported back that the Caribbean remains the hottest cruise destination, with the Mediterranean, Alaska and Hawaii following. Pre- and post-stay business for Med cruises is especially strong, according to the survey. Regarding wave season, 90 percent of agents expect 2008 sales to be as good or better than last year. However, while 35 percent of respondents expect wave season (the January-March booking period) to account for their highest concentration of bookings, an almost equal 32 percent said their sales have been consistent or static throughout the year. Hanrahan said that although wave season is still important, “it’s not as high for bookings anymore,” due in part to more people traveling on the spur of the moment. (For more about this year’s wave season, see pages 60-64.) that during economic downturns, consumers are more likely to pass on buying new things than forgo their vacation. Freed Leaves Carnival for Royal Caribbean In other cruise industry news that shocked many, Carnival Cruise Lines’ senior vice president of sales and marketing, Vicki Freed, has left her post to become senior vice president of sales at Carnival rival Royal Caribbean. Freed’s new role will be to take charge of Royal Caribbean’s 345person sales force and manage its trade support and services division, which includes reservations, group sales, customer service and loyalty programs. The reorganization of Carnival Cruise Lines, which tapped Gerry Cahill to replace Bob Dickinson as president and CEO, and took away Freed’s marketing duties, may have played a role in Freed’s decision to leave the company after close to 30 years of Fun Ship service. Regardless of the reason, the news blew travel agents away. One was Sherry Laskin Kennedy, owner of Vacation Shoppe in Satellite Beach, FL. “It sounds like they [Royal Caribbean] are going to be a powerhouse,” she said. “What an awesome lineup of talent.” The team Kennedy refers to includes Lisa Bauer, senior vice president of hotel operations, who was Royal Caribbean’s senior vice president of sales up until December. We suspect the company is giving Bauer operational experience to groom her for a possible future president position within the Royal Caribbean family of brands. —DAVID EISEN February 4, 2008 TravelAgent | 79 David Eisen with CLIA’s president and CEO, Terry Dale AT FIRST GLANCE, the cruise industry seems to be faring quite well. Strong first-quarter bookings augur a profitable year for travel agents, consumer demand is on the rise, and onboard innovations are introduced with every new cruise ship. Those were three developments mentioned at the Cruise Lines International Association’s annual “What’s New in Cruising” press conference. CLIA projects that its member lines will carry 12.8 million cruise passengers this year—10.5 million of them from North America. CONNECTING YOU The cruise3sixty conference is just around the corner; to read about last year’s event, visit www.travelagent central.com/clia Dig a bit deeper and you’ll notice that, though 12.8 million passengers would be a record, the growth is rather flat year-overyear. CLIA estimates that in 2007 its members carried 12.6 million passengers, a 4.6 percent increase over the 12.01 million in 2006. If CLIA’s 2007 estimate and prediction for 2008 hold true, then passenger growth will rise only 1.5 percent this year. However, with only a modest increase in capacity for 2008, ships should get fuller quicker. What does this mean for consumers? “Book early, book early, book often, book early,” said Terry Dale, president and CEO of CLIA. Dan The U.S. economic picture was raised as a red flag that, perhaps, could negatively affect the cruise industry. However, as both Dale and Hanrahan put it, the industry tends to do well when the economy isn’t ticking along, mostly because of the value it offers travelers. Hanrahan pointed out http://www.travelagentcentral.com/clia http://www.travelagentcentral.com/clia

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - February 4, 2008

Travel Agent - February 4, 2008 Online Now Contents From the Editor From the Publisher Contributors Europe: Mid-Priced Hotels in Paris Europe Briefs Africa: Morocco’s Must-See Cities of Fez and Marrakech Africa News & Notes Pacific/Asia: What's New in Tokyo Pacific/Asia Briefs Hawaii: Lanai, Famous for its Pineapple Production, Repositions as “The Private Island” Oahu Hotels and Activities Las Vegas: New Nightclubs in Sin City California: San Francisco Keeps Pace with Demand Ski/Snowboard: The Ritz-Carlton Denver, Luxe Gateway to the Rockies Central & South America: North American Travelers are Discovering Brazil Latin America News & Notes Caribbean News & Notes Caribbean: Three Smaller U.S. Virgin Islands Resorts Cruises: Wave Season Rolls In Cover Story: Cayman Islands Transportation: Airline Issues Facing Agents Agent Profile: New Tzell VP Lisa Benzakein Aims to Pump Up the Agency’s Leisure Sales Technology: TRAMS Marketing Alliance Agenda: Fam Trips, Deals & Incentives, Calendar ASTA's Key Issues State of the Cruise Industry Caribbean Hotel News Australia Promotes Shorter Visits In the Spotlight Classified Marketplace Editorial Index Advertising Index Trendwatch Victoria Clipper/Clipper Vacations Special Outsert

Travel Agent - February 4, 2008

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