CRUISE3SIXTY EDGES CLOSER

TICKETS are selling fast to the Australasian cruise industry’s only trade focused conference, Cruise3sixty. To be held at The Star in Sydney on Friday, 27 February, the 2015 event will feature outstanding panel sessions with a stellar line-up of 20 senior cruise industry executives from around the globe. Local brand leaders will open the conference with a focus on the challenges and opportunities facing home port cruise lines. With 70% of Aussies and Kiwis choosing to cruise from local ports, there will be keen discussion on where we are headed in the coming years. Meanwhile, with 30% of Australasian passengers cruising internationally, overseas-based executives will be discussing our region’s role as a source market, examining the current growth trends and looking at what is being done to ensure the cruise boom continues into the future. The conference will also include a panel of successful CLIA retail members who will discuss some of their cruise successes. It’s sure to be an inspiring and motivating session. A highlight will be a special keynote presentation from Norwegian Cruise Line executive vice president international Andy Stuart. Stuart will talk about his personal journey and discuss how the cruise industry has changed over the years. He’ll also look at how we have worked with the trade to achieve sustained growth, examine the innovations and technology that have driven cruising into the 20th century, and forecast what lies ahead. Feedback from our inaugural event in 2014 indicated a desire for continued discussion around how cruise lines market their product. To cater for this, we’re holding a session with senior cruise line representatives to learn about their approach to the cruise customer, discuss new marketing opportunities, and hear their tips for agents. This is sure to help cruise specialists who are keen to target the all-important new-to-cruise consumer. We’ll also see an encore of a popular session from Cruise3sixty 2014 with head of travel and tourism at Google Australia Ross Mcdonald returning for our second keynote presentation. He will present the latest cruise search trends and discuss how these ebb and flow as the cruise industry continues to surge. This year’s thought-provoking closing session will see four prominent industry leaders discuss current cruise industry affairs from a leadership perspective and share their insights on how best to support the trade’s efforts. In addition, CLIA retail members will be able to attend an exhibition of cruise lines and cruise industry suppliers during an extended morning tea and lunch break. As always, there will be plenty of opportunities for networking at the closing function, so we look forward to welcoming the industry to a productive and enjoyable event.