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Cruiseabout celebrated the grand opening of its first New South Wales store yesterday following Flight Centre Travel Group’s (FCTG) [1] half year results, which named accelerating cruise market share as one of its five key objectives.

The company also reported a 25 per cent growth as part of an ongoing plan to double cruise and touring sales.

Flight Centre Travel Group Global Leisure CEO James Kavanagh said continued investment in Cruiseabout will be key to bolstering the company’s market share in the sector.

“The retail start-up for Cruiseabout was one of our top investments in the first half of the financial year and we’re excited to be expanding and tapping into the potential of the NSW market.

“Cruising is an affordable, versatile, accessible type of holiday which is why it continues to be so popular among Australians, who consider travel a very important part of their lifestyle.

“We recently commissioned some group-wide research which found that almost half the respondents intend on cruising in 2025, making it one of the top holiday choices for Australians.

“Our survey also found value for money was the number one priority for travellers, and cruising is typically a very cost-effective holiday thanks to meal and entertainment inclusions and shore credits.”

Cruiseabout General Manager Brad Kennedy said the Narellan store opening is a milestone for the brand.

“New South Wales has been our number one lead source according to web traffic for the past six months, so to finally have a bricks and mortar location will be instrumental to the brand’s growth.

“It’s been exciting to watch how our first four locations have grown, but I think due to the significant online demand from NSW, we’ve all been patiently waiting to see how our customers will respond to our Narellan store in particular.

“So far, it’s been great and goes to show the value customers see in accessing the expert advice of a specialised cruise consultant.

“Our advisors are seasoned cruisers who are genuinely passionate about helping their customers find the right holiday, so you can expect a service that is tailored to you, and not simply based on the most popular deals.

“We remain focused on expanding our footprint across Australia so that we can continue matching our customers with their perfect cruise.

“Our next store will open in North Lakes in April, and we’ll open a store in the Mornington Peninsula in May, which will be our first store in Victoria.”

Cruiseabout Narellan is located in Narellan Town Centre and is the brand’s fifth store in Australia.

For more information, please visit cruiseabout.com.au.