Text: Luis De Carvalho, CEO BA Europe.
And I'm not talking about online cruise forums. I'm talking about events where industry professionals meet to discuss and learn about everything related to cruises.
We will begin by defining what a “Cruise Forum” is
- A Cruise Forum is an event that brings together professionals from the cruise tourism sector: ports, cities, local governments, chambers of commerce, travel agencies, tour operators, port authorities, tour guides, hoteliers, museums, tourist attractions, transport companies, airports… In short, everyone who can benefit from the arrival of a cruise ship at a destination.
- Who organizes these events? Cruise-focused media outlets and port authorities, along with city councils, sponsors, and local institutions.
- How many people attend the cruise forums? Between 100 and 500 attendees.
- How long do they usually last? 5 hours.
- Who are the invited speakers? Cruise line executives, port authorities, tour operators, local authorities, and experts in sales, marketing, and infrastructure.
- The most important questions are why should someone organize these events and why should people participate in them?
- People can read articles about the cruise industry in specialized media, listen to the opinions of experts at international cruise conferences, or browse the internet with all the information available.
Everyone has a different perspective. I'm going to share my point of view based on my experience in this field.
As CEO of one of the leading companies responsible for developing cruise destinations and ports, I've learned that I'm valuable to my clients and the industry to the extent that I understand their needs and expectations and how I develop solutions to meet future demands.
While reading cruise articles or listening to and learning from my colleagues at various international conferences, I realize that the training, work, and personal networking opportunities offered at these smaller forums are extremely valuable.
These smaller forums are crucial for ports and destinations seeking to promote themselves within the cruise sector and increase the number of passengers who can contribute economically and socially to the destination.
All these forums share similar objectives: they offer an opportunity for stakeholders to connect, discuss their challenges and opportunities, and learn about industry expectations from industry experts.
It is advisable to collaborate closely with the organizers of these forums and ensure that the events attract a good number of attendees and receive significant media coverage.
It is essential to understand the destination's needs and objectives in order to agree on a budget and tailor the event accordingly.
Some of these challenges could be: lack of promotion, marketing and communication strategies; identifying opportunities to become a port of origin; making decisions about investment in infrastructure or services related to cruises and how to increase the number of cruise ship calls, among others.
Some of the goals that can be achieved through a cruise forum include:
- Educate local councils and stakeholders on the situation of the cruise industry.
- Gathering support among politicians and authorities regarding investments related to the sector.
- To project a positive image and send a message to the cruise industry that your port and destination are ready to build an active cruise community.
- Discuss the challenges and opportunities that exist and examine the conclusions drawn from this process.
- Understanding the importance of working together and developing a local cruise network.
- Train local suppliers on the cruise industry.
- To obtain coverage in local and international media targeting the entire cruise industry
- Branding – The port and destination brand must be present at the forum.
After participating in some of these forums as a director, speaker, moderator or coach for media and communications companies, ports and cruise companies, I have witnessed firsthand the positive impact these events have on the destination.
One example that comes to mind is the Cruise Forum organized in Huelva in 2014. This first forum was organized by the Port of Huelva with the participation of the city, local authorities, cruise lines, and industry experts. This was the beginning of a series of local forums organized to create a plan to welcome and attract cruise tourists, which resulted in 17 port calls and 22,518 passengers projected for 2016, compared to a few sporadic calls before the Cruise Forum.
That first cruise forum in Huelva was crucial in bringing all the local stakeholders together and agreeing on common goals. Working together, they planned a series of specialized services to offer passengers ashore, which resulted in high satisfaction rates and increased cruise traffic to the region.
Happy passengers = happy cruise lines = increased number of cruise port calls.
My experience working as an executive in several companies helps me understand and appreciate these tailored actions and what they mean for the industry.
“These types of cruise forums are a great opportunity to delve into topics not covered at other events, in a more intimate setting. Cruise lines enjoy getting to know the ports. It also helps them gain valuable insights to enhance the experiences of our ships and their guests,” stated Adam Sharp, Head of Port Operations & Guest Port Services – Europe, Middle East and Africa at Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
Ultimately, what determines the success of these forums is what each participant brings to the table: their contribution to the discussion, their commitment to learning and knowledge sharing, and their willingness to work alongside cruise lines to develop their destination. That's the key to success!
Luis de Carvalho is CEO of Bermello Ajamil & Partners Europe (B&A Europe), an international consulting group specializing in architecture, engineering, planning and destination development for the cruise tourism industry and the maritime sector.
B&A Europe is currently involved in several projects in Northern Europe, the Baltic Sea, the Mediterranean, the Atlantic, the Indian Ocean and the West African regions.
Luis began his career in 1986 with Premier Cruise Lines and RCCL in Miami. He then spent 12 years with Crystal Cruises, serving as the Global Homeport Coordinator in Los Angeles, overseeing worldwide shore operations and inspecting new ports and destinations.
From 2005 he worked as Director of National Cruise Operations at Ultramar Express / TUI Spain based in Barcelona, Director of Cruise Operations at Tumlare Corporation and Director of Cruise Operations at Kuoni Destination Management based in Copenhagen.
After acquiring knowledge and experience from different points of view of the industry, he created his own consulting firm, Consult DC, in 2009 to serve the global cruise community and in 2013 merged with Bermello Ajamil & Partners Inc. to form B&A Europe.
Luis is often involved as director, speaker and moderator of the most prestigious international cruise events such as Seatrade Med, Cruise Global Miami, Seatrade Europe, MedCruise, Cruise Europe, Cruise Baltic, CLIA Summit and International Cruise Summit in Madrid, among others.
