Front Page
What is Cruise Connections?
Overview
• Why is Dover in the Cruise Market?
• Market Background
• Marketing and Value-Added Initiatives
• Working in Partnership with Cruise Connection
What is Cruise Connections?
Dover - Britain’s Favourite Port
• Situated at the closest point to Europe
• Vital link for tourism and trade - “lifeblood of industry”
• Wide range of services - ferry, cargo, marina and cruise
• Over 14 million pax used the port last year
What is Cruise Connections?
Why did Dover enter the Cruise Business?
• Diversification of the Port
• People handling skills
• Recognition of a growth market
• Tourist attractions / location
What is Cruise Connections?
Port Investment in Cruise
• Opening of Cruise Terminal 1 in 1996 - £10m
• Opening of Cruise Terminal 2 in 2000 - £17.5m
• Ongoing 300 new car parking spaces at the terminals
Investment in new facilities to cater for larger ships
What is Cruise Connections?
Dover’s Cruise Business
• Dover has doubled the number of cruise calls in less than 10
years.
• 2nd busiest cruise port in the UK
• Approx 30% of the UK Market
• Up to 3 cruise ships at any one time
• Turnaround - development of pre and post itineraries
• Port of Call - approx 30% of business - greatest potential
value to Kent
What is Cruise Connections?
Dover Cruise Customers
24 Cruise Lines in 2010 including:
– Celebrity
– Costa
– Crystal
– Fred. Olsen
– MSC
– Norwegian Cruise Line
– Princess
– Saga
What is Cruise Connections?
Why the increase in Cruise from the UK?
• UK second largest cruise market in the world
• Additional capacity on exciting new ships
• Trend for bigger ships to visit the UK
• Itineraries / themes to suit all tastes
• Good value for money & great deals
• Growing trend in regional departures
• Growing pressure to restrict air travel
What is Cruise Connections?
Why the increase at Dover?
• Well located - good access by sea and land
• Competitively priced - good value
• High class facilities
• Excellent service delivered by experienced cruise team
• Convenient for the most popular cruise destinations
• Plus…
What is Cruise Connections?
Dover Differential
• Relationship building and added value offered
• Kent is a strong destination - long standing partnership
with the port
• Revenue generating opportunities for cruise lines
What is Cruise Connections?
Destination
• Clean, non-industrial surroundings – heritage
• White Cliffs Country
• The Garden of England
• Pre & Post stay opportunities
What is Cruise Connections?
How the Cruise Business is Marketed
• 3 pronged attack targeting:
Cruise lines / Travel Agents / Cruise Passengers
• Partnership working:
Participation in Cruise Britain, Cruise Europe, European
Cruise Council, Passenger Shipping Association, ACE, Cruise
Atlantic Europe, Visit Kent, VICs, local businesses and Cruise
Connections.
• PR - press releases and hosting of media
• Proactive and integrated approach!
What is Cruise Connections?
What is Cruise Connections?
What is Cruise Connections?
What is Cruise Connections?
Cruise Connection: The Partnership
• Established in 2001
• Originally funded by Interreg and private/public partnership,
then in 2007 by SEEDA via EKP. In 2009 became self funded.
• Partners: Port of Dover, KCC, Leeds Castle, Canterbury
Cathedral, Dover District Council, English Heritage,
Kings Ferry Travel Group, Howletts & Port Lympne,
Ramada Dover, Eastwell Manor.
What is Cruise Connections?
Key Objectives
• To promote Kent as a cruise destination in key (new and
emerging) markets
• To maximise visitor expenditure
• Create additional jobs in tourism and other sectors
• To increase knowledge of the cruise industry through
Research
• Maximise cruise bookings (port of call and turnaround)
• To work in partnership maximising on unique selling points.
What is Cruise Connections?
Target Audiences
• Ships Crew
• Trade US, UK
• Tour Operators
• Travel Agents
• Ship Owners
• Ground Handlers
What is Cruise Connections?
Marketing Activity
• Review of Cruise brand
• CRM
• Exhibitions & Sales missions
• Local Business presentations
• Familiarisation Trips
• Networking
• PR
What services do we provide
from shore to ship?
What is Cruise Connections?
Ship Communications
• Print distribution
• Purser & Officer familiarisation
• Port Welcome Sheet
• Crew familiarisation
What is Cruise Connections?
Port Welcome
• Provide a welcome service for Cruise Ships
• Train and update Port Welcomers
• Install Cruise Terminal signage
• Welcome inaugural visits
What is Cruise Connections?
Research
• Determine the overall value of the Cruise Industry to East Kent
• Explore which areas of the economy benefit directly and
indirectly from the cruise industry
• Assess overall value of cruise business to Cruise connection
partners
• Assess the impact of crew spend
• Track where the spend of cruise passengers and crew is made
• Use findings to make recommendations on future opportunities
and strategy
What transport services can
we
provide
for your guests?
Value
of the
Cruise
Industry to East Kent in 2006
• £19.6 million in local revenue (Direct)
• 226 FTE jobs
• Spend per head P of C pax £25.42
• Turnaround pax - £24.43
• Crew spend turnaround £59
• Crew spend P of C £11
What can we do for your
guests when they arrive at
Summary
Dover?
•
Dover continues to work closely with existing and new
partners to demonstrate to the cruise community the value of
cruising from Dover and the regions in which Dover is located
to serve.
Thank you for your time!