Our Regional Director, Alvin Materi has been driving the growth of destination networks in Asia
Last year, I was asked to run a session for Seatrade Cruise Asia in Shanghai on creating cruise Destination Networks for Ports, Destinations and Service Providers. It was an opportunity to connect with a wide range of industry stakeholders and tackle some of the more pressing concerns our industry is facing today.
The cruise industry is growing fast, and none faster than in Asia where we are blessed with an abundance of beautiful and culturally rich destinations we call home. That said, our region is facing a range of cruise industry issues, including poor infrastructure, growing port congestion, inconsistent pricing and unsustainable growth models in some destinations. On a recent trip to Europe I was reminded that many of the challenges we are facing in Asia are not new ones, or specific to us, but issues which are affecting the industry globally. I was heartened to see many examples on my travels of how established and successful cruise networks from around the globe have made a positive impact on their destinations and how working together, in Asia, could have a positive impact on cruise business growth in our region.
This year, Cruise Asia by Destination Asia has been facilitating the growth of Destination Networks and is proud to be involved in establishing and working to help make them successful.