The Travel Markets Insider newsletter is attached to this post as a PDF file. To open the PDF file, please click on this link.
Today’s issue of TMI turns its attention to the cruise industry, where two major stories broke over the past week, both offering exciting opportunities for future business:
Carnival Corp. announced the 2016 launch of a completely new cruise brand in its portfolio called Fathom. The new Fathom brand-the 10th in the group – has a distinct point of difference-offering cruising for a cause. Beginning in April 2016, Fathom will embark on 7-day cruises from PortMiami to a destination where cruisers have the option of working with two- local “impact partners” on community projects. The first destination will be Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic. Carnival believes this option will attract as much as one million new cruisers in North America alone – many of whom might not have considered cruising before. Personally, I congratulate Carnival on thinking outside the box and offering a travel experience that does, in fact, appeal to a different customer and offer “social impact travel.”
Emerging through a cloud of iconic red smoke after flying across Miami’s Biscayne Bay via helicopter, Virgin Group’s ebullient founder Sir Richard Branson landed at Museum Park on Tuesday, and announced that his newly created Virgin Cruises will home port in Miami and set sail in 2020. Read more details Inside Insider, page 1.
TFWA has announced that New York City’s free-speaking former mayor, Rudy Giuliani, will be one of the keynote speakers at this year’s Opening Conference that kicks off the World Exhibition in Cannes in October (the conference is now called a Global Summit according to banners sent out this week by the Association.) Giuliani will be joined by Peter Long, Joint CEO of German travel group TUI. Full story on page 1.
Canada‘s airport duty free sales continued to post double digit gains, while land border sales remained flat in April (page 3). But the Frontier Duty Free Association is launching a national Summer Contest to teach travelers in Canada about duty free and promote sales. Page 2.
BEAUTY NEWS. Coty Inc., after the fanfare of its announcement that turn-around expert Elio Leoni Sceti would take over as CEO next month, this week said that Sceti has “reconsidered” joining that company and that interim CEO (and chairman) Bart Becht will stay in the leadership role. ELC has named Guillaume Jesal to head up Tom Ford Beauty. Page 2.
SPIRITS. Both Diageo and Bacardi made senior personnel appointments over the past week. See page 4.
WiTr NEWS. The Women in Travel Retail networking group has been exceptionally busy in the Americas over the past month, with gatherings in Panama at the ASUTIL conference and a get-together in South Florida at the home of Katherine Patch Sleipnes. Not only were the events wonderful networking opportunities, but the group raised important funding for some very worthy causes. See special coverage on page 5.
Meanwhile, the global WiTr organization has announced its chosen charity for 2015, which will culminate during the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes. Please see page 3 for details and how you can help.
