Cruising into MICE
Cruises are lately gaining popularity in the MICE industry as they offer innovative packages and built-in activities and programmes for the delegates. They also offer more quality time together for the teams and hence there is more bonding on a ship. MICE
Cruise holidays as an alternative to a land-based vacation, were expected to take off in a big way particularly because of its all-inclusive appeal. However, the potential of cruise tourism in India is still untapped. In competitive times, where airline commissions are dwindling, a new alliance between cruise professionals, travel agents and tour operators is the way forward. In search of the best and unique venues for corporate meetings, incentive travel, trade shows and conferences, meeting planners are now looking out to the seas and also global rivers.
Cruise Tourism has grown by 23 per cent
The cruise market in India had to its credit more than 115,000 passengers setting sail annually, Shibani Phadkar, Senior Vice President, Leisure Travel (Outbound),
Thomas Cook (India) reveals. Given that the company predicted a viable potential for cruises, Thomas Cook India was the first travel company to set up an exclusive cruise division, as early as 2007. “Despite the gloom predicted by the pundits, at Thomas Cook India, we’ve seen an impressive growth of 23 per cent and upward, including Free Independent Travellers (FIT), Group Inclusive Tour (GIT) and MICE segments for 2013. Our cruise team has seen a very interesting growth from two strong emerging segments - the youth and women travellers. Cruises are a top draw for our ad hoc groups also - we’ve had ‘kitty party’ groups, ‘bachelor and hen party’ groups, anniversary celebrations and also groups of friends,” she affirms. Leisure travel tops the company’s cruise portfolio, contributing to 90 per cent of the revenue, followed by Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) at about seven per cent and finally business travellers at three per cent. Entertainment for all As Phadkar explains, the cruise industry sells ‘itineraries’ and not destinations as the ship itself is the ‘destination’. Passengers are onboard a well-equipped ‘floating resort’ with an array of entertainment options and numerous facilities like restaurants, lounge bars, theatres, swimming pools and gaming arenas. “A strong advantage is that one visits a myriad of destinations in a short span of time sans the tension of having to pack-unpack flights or other modes of travel. Of course, another powerful plus point is that the price is all inclusive - which means everything from travel, accommodation and meals to entertainment, is taken care of. All these factors have gone a long way in ensuring that the share of the pie of cruise holidays keeps increasing by leaps and bounds,” she states.
There’s more quality time together, more bonding for teams on a ship because of the leisurely meals and entertainment that people attend together
Short Cruises in Demand
Throwing light on new trends in the industry, Naresh Rawal, Vice-President, Sales, South Asia, Russia, Middle East and South Africa,
Star Cruises, confirms, “While business travel, holiday and VFR trips still dominate outbound volumes, people are opting for niche products such as sports tourism, luxury travel, honeymoon packages and cruises. It reveals clear opportunities for market segmentation. More Indians are now going for international cruises but most of them prefer short cruises, rather than the long voyages that Americans and Europeans seek. First-timers opt for short cruises to Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia, as a package to these countries is more affordable. April-June is the peak season for outbound cruise tourism in India.” Cruising is cheaper than a land-based holiday as the cruise package takes care of the stay and a maximum of three meals and entertainment on board, he adds.
Better for team building and bonding
When selecting an oceangoing ship for a large meeting, the choices seem almost endless. Cruise stakeholders should provide world-class products to their clients such as cuisines, entertainment, and international experiences to attract Indian tourists, opines Ratna Chadha, Chief Executive, TIRUN Travel Marketing and India Representative, Royal Caribbean Cruises. One of the benefits of holding a meeting on a ship is that it’s a more intimate environment. “Unlike a meeting in a specific hotel, where all guests arrive and depart depending on their whims and fancies, in a cruise, it is not the same. Here everyone is together so they arrive and depart at the same time. There’s more quality time together, more bonding for teams on a ship because of the leisurely meals, entertainment that people attend together, fitness activities, classes that bring people together without everything having to be planned in advance,” Chadha points out.