CARNIVAL Cruise Line
is launching a year-long
initiative – Why Use a
Travel Advisor – with the
aim of helping travel
advisers to attract new
clients and reinforce their
relationships with existing
clients.
The programme will
incorporate four events
this year, in Orlando,
Minnesota, New York
and Los Angeles, and
will allow Carnival to
get the message out to
consumers about how
important travel advisers
are to them, says Adolfo
Perez, senior vp of Sales
and Trade Marketing at
Carnival. Each event will
be open to around 200
people and travel agents
can attend with a current
client and another nonclient.
“Travel agents are an
efficient distribution
system for cruise lines’
products; 95% of our
bookings come from
travel agents,” says
George Argyropoulos,
ceo of Cruises
International. He says
because cruising is
an intricate product,
consumers will engage
with travel professionals
at some point to help
them choose the right
product.
Mladen Lukic, gm of
Travel Counsellors, says
travel professionals
can help make the
time before the cruise
part of the excitement.
“When dealing with a
travel professional, the
purchasing becomes
just as much fun as
the cruise itself,” he
says. “The anticipation
becomes part of the
experience.”
Jane Davidson,
director of Development
Promotions, adds that
the fact that travel
advisers are trained on
the products and offer
back-up and support
to their clients is an
invaluable service
when dealing with the
complexities of matching
cruisers to cruising
products.
Carnival Cruises values agents!
Comments | 0
