Cruise, ferry and river shipping at the fair in Hamburg

19.11.2003

On 29 - 31 October, 2003, Hamburg hosted the international fair Seatrade Europe Cruise, Ferry, River Cruise Convention 2003. The Fair was accompanied by conference sessions devoted to cruise, ferry and river tourism. Among the 8 sessions, of the particular interest were:

1. The Condition of Cruise Shipping in Europe
2. European Ferry Shipping
3. Strategic Plans for European Cruise Lines

At the above-mentioned conference and fair, the Port of Gdansk Authority SA was represented by 2 employees of the Shipping Policy and Tariffs Department: Ms. Danuta Bilat - Head of Shipping Policy and Tariffs Department and Ms. Monika Wojcik - Shipping Specialist.

Speakers presented the current condition of shipping in Europe, highlighting, among others, such issues as: cruise liners' preferred destinations, the characteristic features of fleets owned by the European Cruise Lines, the passengers' preferences, changes in the client's demand profile, types of the organised cruises, destination vis-a-vis operators' requirements and the like.

Regarding the cruise and ferry shipping, the floor was taken by representatives of the world's leading shipping lines: P&O Princess Cruises UK, Royal Carribean Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Cunard Line Limited, Scandlines, Stena Line, Silja Line, TT Line.

One of the dominant subjects, among others, dealt with the profile of factors affecting the decision that is made by tourists and operators when it comes to selecting a cruise destination. Listed among the most significant, there were the following components:

• original character of the location,
• weather conditions,
  
• safety,
• condition of infrastructure,
• properly developed stands for passenger clearance,
• experience in receiving cruise liners.

According to the statistics, among the most popular destinations with cruise lines in the recent time, there are, first and foremost, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean and the Canary Islands, whereas, in terms of the European territory - the Great Britain.

Besides the conference sessions, also the fair aroused a large amount of interest and attracted nearly 160 exhibitors, who presented their potential. Attending the event, there were representatives of seaports, travel agencies, tour operators, cruise lines and agents.

The visit to Hamburg, apart from gaining information on the current situation of the ferry and cruise shipping market, enabled a better insight into promotion policies adopted by cities and tourist organizations in order to step up the tourist and passenger traffic in Europe. Additionally, Seatrade Europe provided an opportunity to establish interesting contacts with the people in charge of the marketing and organisation of cruises in different cruise lines.