Madrid, November 30, 2018. - On November 27 and 28, the most prominent professionals in the cruise industry met in Madrid for the eighth edition of the International Cruise Summit (ICS), the only global forum for debate held in Europe on the cruise industry.
This year's guest of honor was Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio, CEO of Silversea Cruises. “One of the most significant developments in the cruise industry has been the partnership between Silversea Cruises and Royal Caribbean Cruise Ltd (RCCL), so inviting Mr. Lefebvre as our guest of honor was essential,” stated Virginia López, CEO of Cruises News Media Group, and director and founder of the forum. She herself interviewed Lefebvre in an engaging and enriching session for all attendees, including senior international executives and managers from cruise lines, port authorities, tourist destinations, tour operators, shipping agents, travel agents, suppliers, and industry experts.
During the interview, they discussed the company's history from its beginnings and how Lefebvre joined the management team of the family business. He also commented on the anticipated growth of the cruise sector in Europe and the importance of certain markets in driving that growth.
When asked about the competition, Lefebvre stated: “The industry is a victim of its own success, it grows very fast and you have to stay ahead of this new competition that arises every day.”.
Of course, the discussion also turned to RCCL, to which Lefebvre remarked: “Silversea is a family business, and even if a percentage is sold to RCCL, it will maintain the tradition and cultural heritage that defines it.” “RCCL had a strong interest in entering the luxury segment and lacked a high-end cruise brand.”.
Regarding the future of the company, Lefebvre stated his desire to build more ships, "now it's just the tip of the iceberg," and as for his business future, he expressed his wish to bring prosperity to the company beyond his role as CEO of Silversea Cruises.
During the interview, reference was also made to the 10th anniversary of expedition cruises, celebrated in 2018: “Traveling to difficult places is incredible, but traveling to difficult places in a comfortable and elegant way makes all the difference.”
To conclude the meeting, the Spanish market was discussed, and it was noted that despite the tendency of Spaniards to travel within Spain, due to its wonderful nature, there is strong belief in the growth opportunities that exist there.
During the second day of the ICS, Silversea's participation was also highlighted, represented by Alfredo Spadon, the company's general manager for Europe and Asia, in a round table discussion on luxury in cruises, new trends in the sector, and new audiences such as Millennials.
