| Costa pushes Dubai to Australians

Costa Favolosa’s Arabian
itineraries will be targeted at
the Aussie market this season.
AT A COCKTAIL PARTY IN SYDNEY LAST NIGHT,
travel agents were introduced to Costa
Cruises’ 2011-12 Dubai program, despite the
absence of the line’s Hong Kong-based
BDM, Wendy Man, who was stranded in
Perth due to the ash cloud from Chile.
Instead the presentation was led by Complete
Cruise Solution’s international BDM Rebecca
Mutanen, who said Costa’s new flagship
would offer seven-night round voyages from
Dubai to Muscat, Fujairah, Abu Dhabi and
Khasab, between Dec 2011 and Apr 2012.
“Costa will have 17 of these sailings, which
will embark at 8pm so clients arriving on late
flights will be OK,” she said.
Lead-in fares have been set low at $787pp.
Co-hosted by the Government of Dubai’s
Department of Tourism and Commerce
Marketing, the function was also attended by
representatives from the Australia & NZ
office: Veronica Rainbird, senior manager,
trade and marketing, and Melissa Chapman,
manager, trade relations and training.
Chapman said cruise visitors accounted for
5% of Dubai visitors last year, but this figure
was set to rise.
“Cruise tourism in Dubai is forecast to be
extremely strong and to have consistent
growth in both cruise visitors and ship calls in
the coming years,” she said.
“With a 306% increase in Australians taking
cruise holidays since 2002, we can see potential
opportunities for Costa itineraries to be
increasingly popular in the Australian market.”
Rainbird said Dubai’s infrastructure and
tourist attractions were big drawcards for
cruise travellers.
“We have excellent connections with airlines
such as Emirates, Etihad and Qatar who
have direct flights from Australia,” she said.
Costa Favolosa will be christened in Trieste
on 02 Jul before homeporting in Dubai for
the 2011/12 season.
The 114,000gt ship has 1,508 cabins, 524
balcony cabins, 58 balcony suites and 12
spa suites, including some with a spa bath
on the private balcony.