TO ADDRESS insufficient brand and product awareness in the region, Azamara Club Cruises urged its Asian offices to conduct more fam trips for travel agents.
President and CEO Larry Pimentel told TTG Asia e-Daily that “Asian agents don’t know enough of Azamara”. He was in Singapore this week to meet with travel agents and representatives from the Singapore Cruise Centre and the Singapore Tourism Board.
He said: “The general community in the region doesn’t know about cruises. But to be fair, there are travel agents here who sell cruises and have sold Azamara well.”
The luxury cruise line sees a mix of nationalities on board its ships, with 50 per cent of passengers from the US and the rest from the UK, Australia, Germany and Nordic countries. Asians only make up a small percentage of their guests.
Pimentel believes that Asian numbers are on the rise, however, predicting “dramatic growth” out of China, where parent company Royal Caribbean Cruises has three sales offices.
“We want to keep our ships longer in Asia, but that depends on the (passenger handling) capacity at the destination. Without capacity, the region is naturally constrained,” he said.
Azamara has had three Asian seasons with the 694-guest Azamara Quest since December 2008. It will take its similar-sized Azamara Journey on three Asian voyages in late 2012.
