National Cruise Week Sparks ICCA Agent Membership Increase
The International Cruise Council Australasia has experienced a surge in travel agency memberships as agents across Australia and New Zealand sign up to take part in the first National Cruise Week.
ICCA General Manager Brett Jardine said more than 50 travel agencies from Australia and New Zealand had joined the Cruise Council in the past month – the biggest monthly intake for more than a decade.
“The membership surge is a fantastic response to our first National Cruise Week. The feedback I’m getting is that agents from both countries see the event as a great opportunity to boost sales and a wonderful chance to raise their profiles as qualified cruise specialists,” Mr Jardine said.
Billed as “Australia’s largest cruise promotion”, the inaugural National Cruise Week will run from September 3 to 9, 2012, and feature a range of great value cruise deals available only through ICCA accredited agents.
The largest consumer promotion ever undertaken by the local cruise industry, it will involve more than 30 ICCA member cruise lines and more than 1000 member travel agents across Australia and New Zealand.
Mr Jardine said he had now received all the special National Cruise Week offers from ICCA’s cruise line members.
“There are some wonderful deals, which will really help lift consumer awareness of the great value that a cruise holiday offers and drive bookings ahead of the summer cruise season.”
The offers will go live on the Cruise Week website www.nationalcruiseweek.com.au
this Sunday (August 26) coinciding with a national consumer press campaign to heighten interest among holidaymakers.
Mr Jardine said the National Cruise Week website also featured an events area where members could promote their Cruise Week initiatives to consumers. Agents wanting to highlight their events should send details to info@cruising.org.au
