More than 200 travel professionals discussed business opportunities and other aspects of promoting the cruise business at the recently concluded second edition of the Cruise Travel Mart at Shangri-La Dubai.

The cruise industry has rebounded back with increased confidence and if forward bookings are any indications, 2023 is going to be a fantastic year for cruise industry. There has been a marked shift in consumer’s mindsets, behaviours and preferences which is also impacting future cruise trends and influencing the cruise lines in their product offerings.

Agencies representing various cruise lines based in Dubai supported by Spain Tourism Board came together under one room to provide a platform to travel trade colleagues for meaningful discussions and interactions. Travel agents leveraged on key takeaways by gaining information on new hardware, ports and destinations.

Speaking on this occasion, Ashok Kumar representing Cunard, Princess Cruises and P&O Cruises said: “Cruise Awareness Day which started in 2022 has received very positive feedback from our travel industry partners.  We aim to make this an annual event and with the support of cruise industry clients, have additional program to engage with travel agents.”

Lakshmi Durai representing Holland America, Seabourn and Windstar commented: “The response to the second edition of Cruise Travel Mart has been very positive and we are glad to see the interest and urge in learning different cruise products by our trade partners. 2023 is expected to see a ‘revenge’ travel happening and we are confident that these kinds of events will help create more cruise specialists in the industry, who can sell cruises confidently in the coming years.”

Mohamed Saeed, Managing Director Royal Caribbean Cruises int’l Middle East said: “I’m thrilled to be part of the cruise travel mart! I want to extend my gratitude to all the trade partners for attending this event. it’s been a challenging time for the cruise industry, but we’re excited to be back and ready to offer an exceptional experience to the travelers.”

Asif Hussain, representing Disney Cruise Line said that “Cruise Travel Mart is here to stay” and urged travel partners to take advantage of the trendsetting “all-in-one cruise vacation”.

“Travel Agents are requested to invest their valuable time in learning more about cruise vacations and diversify their product offering to their clients and benefit from the sizeable commissions on the offer.

“Cruise Travel Mart and its participants are more than willing to make available E-Collateral, product training sessions, joint promotions and much more in aid to make the travel agents , cruise specialists,” Hussain added.

Rebecca Ransom, business development manager of  Norwegian Cruise Line MEA, said: "This was an insightful event for us, an opportunity to meet with agent partners, be part of the current trends conversation and see first-hand how much confidence there is in cruise, and what a fantastic year it will be for our industry.”

She added: "We were delighted to see a great demand for our European 2023 sailings – in particular great interest in our latest ship, Norwegian Viva, which will launch this summer and sail the Mediterranean and, in The Haven, by Norwegian, our exclusive ship-within-a-ship concept that appeals particularly well to younger luxury clients in the Middle East and larger families .”
 
Daniel Rosado –Director/Tourism Counsellor Middle East for Turespana (Tour Spain) said:  “Spain Tourism is delighted to be a part of the second edition of Cruise Travel Mart and it is very assuring to see  the interest in cruise travel increase significantly year by year.”

“Spain is a popular destination for cruise ships .Being located in the western Mediterranean, which is one of the most popular cruise regions in the world, it offers a wide range of ports of call that are attractive to cruise lines and their passengers.

“Some of the most popular ports of call in Spain for cruise ships include Barcelona, Malaga, Valencia, and Palma de Mallorca. These port cities are known for their beautiful scenery, rich culture and history, and vibrant nightlife, making them appealing to many cruise passengers.

“Spain has many large and modern cruise terminals, such as the Barcelona Cruise Terminal and the Port of Malaga, which can accommodate some of the world's largest cruise ships. This makes Spain an attractive destination for cruise lines, as they can easily and efficiently handle large volumes of passengers. And events like these are great opportunities for travel trade partners to increase their knowledge and awareness about cruise travel,” Rosado explained. – TradeArabia News Service