|
Niche Cruise Marketing Alliance
Celebrates 10th Anniversary
SEATTLE, WA. ---
January 22, 2009 -- The Niche Cruise Marketing Alliance - a consortium
of 15 specialty cruise lines with the primary mission of educating
travel agents and promoting the sale of niche and specialty cruise
products -- is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2009.
In its tenth year of assisting travel agents in selling specialty
cruise products, NCMA will continue to focus on providing member agents
with tools they can use to generate sales, according to NCMA Executive
Director Lawrence Dessler.
The organization will also continue to offer its well-received training
programs using live presentations, webinars and online educational
opportunities.
The three members of the NCMA executive committee were unanimous in
agreement that the most important component of the organization is its
agent training program.
 "The
main purpose of NCMA is training for travel agents about the benefits
of selling niche cruises and to whom and how to sell it. This is the
core of NCMA, to offer an alternative to agents whose focus is on blue
water cruising to give them the opportunity to diversify and learn how
to sell niche cruises," said Bo Fridsberg, vice president of sales
for Hurtigruten. "The price tag is higher and the commission is
higher."
Fridsberg said that in future years, he hopes to see NCMA increase its
visibility to agents.
Susan Shultz, director of sales for American Cruise Line, highlighted
NCMA's training
programs as well. "I would say the personalized training that is
available at the trade shows is a highlight of NCMA because our 15
members can reach out to travel agents, and the agents really gain an
understanding of our product and are trained in it.
"In the future, I would like to see NCMA offer more marketing
tools to agents - marketing tools that are really of value to
them," Shultz said. "I hope we can continue to train agents
better so they can reach out to more clients."
 Mark
Flager, vice president of North American operations for Voyages of
Discovery, said he has three goals for NCMA in the future.
"I would like to see us broaden our outreach to agents, offer more
regional training, and extend the opportunities for familiarization
trips on our vessels," Flager said. He also agreed that training
is the most important component offered by NCMA.
In 2008, NCMA launched a highly successful webinar program that will be
expanded in 2009. Almost 7,000 agents participated in the more than 70
webinars conducted in 2008, and Dessler said he hopes to double these
figures for 2009.
NCMA's award-winning website, www.nichecruise.com, provides a wide
variety of information to agents while directing consumers to find
their nearest NCMA cruise specialist or certified cruise specialist.
NCMA boosted its member agent ranks in 2008 through adding more than
600 niche cruise specialists and 300 certified niche cruise specialists
(the advanced level for agents). The organization held five open houses
- in Costa Mesa, CA; Vancouver, B.C.; Fairfax, Va.; Miami; and Las
Vegas, as well as participating in six industry trade shows in San
Diego, Vancouver, Baltimore, Miami and Las Vegas.
Dessler said that in 2009, the organization will continue to pursue
opportunities to create more face to face training programs. "To
this end we are considering an expanded trade show program with a
tie-in to a panel/seminar/training session," he explained.
"We are also updating our power point presentation that is used in
our training programs." The first trade show in which NCMA will
participate in 2009 is the HomeBased Travel Agent Show March 10-12 in
Chicago
A new edition of the sales manual binder that contains a four-page
brief on each member line will be printed in 2009. Copies of the binder
are provided without charge to agents attending NCMA training programs.
It is available at nominal cost to existing Niche Cruise Specialists
and other travel agents who request it. A scaled-down version of the
sales binder will be printed for distribution as collateral material at
trade shows.
NCMA conducts an extensive direct marketing program for its niche
cruise specialists and certified niche cruise specialists. This
includes a monthly e-newsletter with regular updates of news and
product information; sending welcome letters and personalized
certificates, bonus commission coupons and personalized press releases
to the specialists; and a mailing of new cruise discount offers.
This year, the organization's online training program will be expanded
to include marketing technique programs and referral to member training
programs.
The current recession makes the sale of niche cruises even more
attractive to agents, Dessler said. Generally speaking, niche cruises
are more marketable in the current economy because their potential
passengers have a higher disposable income. In addition, some member
lines have discounted fares, while others are increasing the commission
offered.
NCMA member cruise lines include American Canadian Caribbean Line,
American Cruise Lines, Elegant Cruises & Tours, Fred. Olsen Cruise
Lines, Galapagos Explorer II, Hurtigruten, Imperial River Cruises,
Louis Cruise Lines, Monarch Classic Cruises, Orion Expedition
Cruises,Pandaw Cruises, Peter Deilmann Cruises, Star Clippers, Variety
Cruises and Voyages of Discovery.
Dessler can be reached at nichecruise@msn.com, by phone at 425.867.0399
or by fax at 425.867.0589.
|
