Cruise Month has arrived, marking the start of a spectacular summer cruise season in Australia and New Zealand.
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) today launched the first initiatives in a month-long campaign designed to generate fresh excitement around cruising and direct consumers to CLIA-member travel agents.
This week is Ocean Cruise Week, the first of four weekly themes highlighting the diverse choice of cruising options available in Australia, New Zealand and around the world. Subsequent weeks will celebrate river cruising, expedition cruising and luxury cruising.
Among activities planned throughout October is an expanded social media campaign using the hashtag #LoveCruise; digital advertising aligned with the four weekly themes; Cruise Month coverage in newspapers and specialist publications; Cruise Month promotions by CLIA cruise lines; and a competition in which CLIA travel agents who launch their own Cruise Month events can win a travel package to attend next year’s CLIA Awards gala dinner.
CLIA Managing Director in Australasia Joel Katz said Cruise Month would help celebrate the start of a busy summer cruise season in Australia and New Zealand.
“The number of people cruising is growing and the diversity of cruising options available now means there’s more choice than ever before,” Mr Katz said. “Ocean Week will help highlight the broad appeal cruising has among an increasingly diverse range of holidaymakers – including a rising contingent of younger generations and multi-gen travel groups.”
To support members, CLIA has produced a new Cruise Month toolkit that allows travel agents to mount their own Cruise Month initiatives and amplify CLIA’s social media campaign. The toolkit includes Cruise Month logos, social media tiles, imagery, videos, digital banners, a customisable flyer, posters, and more.
Agents will also be able to take part in Cruise Month webinars hosted by CLIA cruise lines, allowing them to expand their product knowledge and take advantage of the latest cruise line initiatives.
To find out more about Cruise Month and learn how to take part, CLIA members can view a video guide providing information and suggestions on how to mount their own Cruise Month campaigns.
The video guide and Cruise Month toolkit are accessible online via the CLIA Members Hub. Follow @CLIAAustralasia on Facebook & LinkedIn for updates and to share Cruise Month posts. See the weekly CLIA newsletter for webinar details and cruise line promotions.