08 January 2010

New to cruise a golden opportunity for agents

CruiseMole Guest Comment by David Selby, director of Thomson Cruises

As we begin a new year, the grey cloud of the biggest recession in British history still looms over us.

VAT prices have gone back up and interest rates are set to follow suit.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. Two of the biggest retailers in the country - John Lewis and Next - have reported bumper sales over the festive period, the first for over two years.

British consumers are confident that things are beginning to change, and are more confident in their spending power.

During the ABTA Travel Convention in October last year, Bill Gibbons, director of the Passenger Shipping Association, said that the growth of the British cruise market reflects how more and more holidaymakers are recognising the value and quality a cruise holiday has to offer. That is undoubtedly true.

Our own research continues to show that consumers see holidays as an essential rather than a luxury, but there is no doubt that they are savvy and want to ensure they get value for money.

This is very clear when you look at the massive growth in all-inclusive holidays which now make up 42% of Thomson and First Choice holidays.

Combine that with the fact that consumers also want great service, entertainment and good food - and cruising becomes the obvious option.

And clearly the message is getting through to many; in 2009 over 1.55 million of us took a cruise, and this is set to rise to 1.65 million in 2010 according to PSA predictions.

But for every holidaymaker that has seen the light, there is another who has never considered a cruise.

The current economic environment is a golden opportunity for agents to bring new cruisers into the market and it is not a hard sell when you point out quite how much is included in the price.

Agents who don’t currently sell cruises should stop and think about a growth opportunity that others are making the most of and they are missing out on. They should invest some time in learning more about the cruise industry and tapping into a growing market.

For Thomson Cruises, 2010 is an exciting year. We are launching a new ship, Thomson Dream, introducing new destinations such as Santa Marta in Colombia and Havana, Cuba and also a new home port for Thomson Celebration in Turkey.

We plan to sail into 2010 and beyond with a strong sense of purpose, and with a product designed with our customers in mind, with added variety, value, service and entertainment, we may even see more additions to the fleet in the future to match the increasing popularity of cruising in the British market - watch this space!