Terry Dale, President and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association
It doesn't take a presidential election to make the economy a hot topic this year; clearly consumers are watching their budgets. Will they continue to travel? The experts tell us that for more and more people, leisure travel is considered an essential line item in the family budget; less a discretionary expense than an expected lifestyle cost.
So the simple answer is, yes, Americans will continue to travel. But, in choosing how and where to travel, there is no doubt in my mind that they will demand maximum value; when the budget is tight every penny counts. And, travel agents have an important role to play in steering their loyal clients toward that value.
There are many ways of finding added-value travel opportunities, but those of us in my industry would like to suggest that agents and their customers need look no further than cruising. In all sincerity, I can say that the cruise line members of CLIA offer outstanding value across all price categories of cruises, and there are many reasons why.
Inclusive pricing - accommodations, meals, entertainment, use of most ship's facilities, transportation from destination to destination and, in some cases, complimentary wines and spirits and shore excursions - means the consumer is already off to a great start in realizing value for money spent. But there's more.
The variety of cruises available - in every possible price category, length, size and type of ship - means consumers can easily pick a vacation at sea that matches their budget.
In addition, CLIA member lines offer cruises in all parts of the world. This means travelers can find value by picking off-season destinations or take advantage of the weak dollar to cruise in many foreign destinations, notably Europe, without the added cost of paying in stronger foreign currencies.
And, with CLIA member lines sailing from more than 30 domestic ports, consumers can pick a cruise to drive to and save the cost of increasingly expensive airfare.
It's also worth noting that, in most cases, the price of a cruise is based on choice of accommodations. It's easy for vacationers to save by booking a less expensive stateroom and still take advantage of everything else the ship has to offer.
And, cruises are hugely popular with families, extended families and groups of friends traveling together. Encourage your clients to put together a group and save.
Obviously, these are somewhat uncertain times economically, but the cruise industry, because of this very strong value message, is optimistic.
CLIA is growing in number and size of ships as well as type of cruise vacations offered. We are expanding throughout the world and will continue to do so.
But, ultimately, you are the professionals who can convince the public to travel this year. Speaking for all the cruise line members of CLIA, you have this industry's total support. We look forward to working with you to make this a great year for your agency and our industry.
For additional information on how to budget your vacation with the maximum value, please call your Certified Cruise Counsellor, Kenneth Chow, Accredited Cruise Counsellor (ACC) of Cruise Planners at 800-839-7135, kchow@cruiseplanners.com or www.nycvaluecruise.com from Thursday to Monday from 9AM to 7PM EST.
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
