By
Susan Parker |
Jens Skrede, managing director of Cruise Europe (CE), is buoyant at the start of 2013 as Bremerhaven, Wismar and Bordeaux join the Association. This brings the total number of members to 99, plus six associates.
CE was one of the first regional cruise associations to be formed, back in 1991. Skrede says this gives it the benefit of being able to draw on a wealth of experience from its longstanding members. The annual Cruise Europe Conference (CEC), which provides opportunities for knowledge to be shared amongst newcomers, takes place in Le Havre in April this year.
The association has attracted some heavyweight speakers in recent years including Stein Kruse, president and CEO of Holland America Line and David Dingle, CEO of Carnival UK. Skrede attributes this to executives knowing that they will have easy access to a large number of suppliers, which means they have no difficulty in giving priority to the conference.
As Skrede points out, ports enjoy the same level of access. “Because it is a small event with about 100 to 150 people it is excellent for networking. We heard at Seatrade Med that ports had got work through the CEC in Greenwich last year.” For example, Steve Masters, port operations manager for Saga Shipping, says that through meeting people from Haugesund and Eskifjordur, Saga has booked four calls in the former port and one in the latter next year.
“The most important role of the conference is to create opportunity,” says Skrede. “We want our members to learn something more about the industry which cannot be done at bigger events where there are so many people all fighting for executive time.”
The host port has the added advantage of being able to present itself to the cruise sector. Skrede’s advice to ports wanting a slice of the cruise pie is to follow the example of ports that take a proactive approach. But he also tells them that having a clear profile and unique selling point is vital. As an example he points to Le Havre setting itself up as ‘The Gateway to Paris’.
He says: “Whenever I am asked: ‘What should we do to attract more calls?’ I tell people to think carefully about why a cruise ship should call in their port or at their destination.” This is one of the reasons members are asked to upload information onto the website as it makes them really consider what they have to offer.
As the CLIA global initiative unfolds, Skrede says CE has an ambition to expand its role as a partner to CLIA Europe. In this respect, representatives have been invited to CE council meetings and CE has members on the association’s various committees. This brings a two-way flow of information which is extremely helpful to both. To support its expansion, CE recently revamped its website, which now includes a new map from which visitors can easily access port information.