Cruise celebration
GENTING Cruise Lines hosted essential travel partners off the waters of Hong Kong for its Travel Partners Tribute awards ceremony recently.
The three-day event took place on board Dream Cruises’ flagship World Dream and saw hundreds of travel insiders and media in attendance.
Genting Cruise Lines president Kent Zhu said the awards sought to recognise the significant contributions of its partners that include travel agents across the region.
The event, he added, came at a time when the cruise industry seeks to tap further into the middle-class population.
“Asia Pacific is home to the largest middle class in the world. The potential size of the large middle class makes the region a market with huge potential,” he said, adding that it is an ongoing challenge to capture various consumer markets.
Genting Cruise Lines – which is under Genting Group – comprises Star Cruises, Dream Cruises and Crystal Cruises. The company is one of the pioneers in the Asian cruise industry.
The importance of MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Events) travellers was highlighted during the event by Dream Cruises president Thatcher Brown.
“The Asian MICE market is a well-developed one, with discerning guests who have high expectations that go beyond the conventional MICE experience,” he said, adding that it’s important to make this travel segment fun and productive.
The Malaysian travel companies that were honoured at the Travel Partners Tribute awards ceremony were Airlink Travel & Tour, Malaysian Harmony Tour & Travel and Hwajing Travel & Tours. – Chester Chin