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MSC Cruises to make WTM debut
Italian line MSC Cruises is to appear at World Travel Market in London for the first time in November as it prepares for its first ex-UK sailings in 2008.
Details of planned UK departures for MSC Armonia between May and August 2008, operating a series of 10- and 11-night sailings from Dover to the Baltics, Norwegian Fjords and North Cape will be available at WTM.
MSC UK managing director Claudia Baino said the line would have senior staff from its European offices in attendance at the event in an effort to meet as many trade representatives as possible.
“World Travel Market is a global marketplace so we will have representatives from offices in Germany and Spain, as well as the UK and our Italian HQ,” she said.
“MSC is going through a massive expansion programme and the trade – especially agents – is vitally important to us. The trade is our target for World Travel Market – we want to work with operators who take allocations and agents who can sell our fly-cruises.
“We know we perhaps don’t have the brand awareness of some of the other cruise lines. We offer something very different and that is what we will be there to sell.”
The company is taking at stand in the Global Village area at ExCel in London for WTM which runs on November 12-15.
The move comes as the company is poised to boost its fleet from eight to 10 ships next year, followed by a further two by 2010.
“Agents know the value of the cruise market and can see that we have the kind of cruises that will definitely sell,” said Baino. “Unlike other cruise lines, we make every element of the holiday commissionable, so they really can maximise their earnings from each booking. For fly-cruises we have our own charters to Genoa from the UK, so it is very easy for agents to book with us.”
by Phil Davies
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