Matching passengers to the
right cruise remains one of the
most important keys for the
further growth of cruising.
CARNIVAL Australia CEO Ann Sherry
addressed the Cruise Shipping Asia
Pacific conference in Singapore last week,
emphasising the main ways for the industry to
stay strong.
Keeping in mind her ambitious goal of one
million Australian passengers annually, Sherry
said it was vital to understand the different
needs of different types of passengers to
ensure they sailed on the most appropriate
ship and itinerary.
“Five years ago when we set a target of a
million passengers a year by 2020, very few
believed it was possible, but here we are in
2013 and on course to achieve the target four
years earlier than expected,” she said after her
speech.
“Understanding market segmentation and
being clear about which segments we are
pursuing has also been an important element
of Carnival Australia’s success, along with
making local and international cruising key
components our growth story.”
Sherry stressed the importance of aiming
high, saying, “Our experience confirms that
setting a bold target and then energising our
people and resources to achieving it was vital
to growing the cruise category.”
The conference was also an opportunity to
discuss the critical issue of port infrastructure,
with Sherry adding that it was crucial to not go
overboard.
“The need for appropriate investment in port
facilities remains a high priority issue for the
Australian cruise industry, however, recent
experience in Asia shows that over-investment
in infrastructure in concentrated areas can
present its own problems.
“It is essential to get the infrastructure
balance right – it has to be functional and
capable of supporting growth but it also has to
be commercially viable both for the operators
and the cruise shipping companies using it.”
