The cruise industry has taken a hard hit in U.S. and European markets recently, which could have some influence on survey respondents’ intentions to cruise. However, there is still a sizable UK market of first-time cruisers on whom companies should be focusing their marketing efforts.
The cruise industry is set on turning the UK into a hot market, so its marketers should pay attention to a survey released yesterday by World Travel Market as part of its London trade show.
Cruise companies are estimated to have spent $455 million (£285 million) on press, TV, direct mail, and cinema marketing between 2010 and 2013. It appears to be having some effect, as 39% of the 1,0001 UK travelers polled for the WTM 2013 Industry Report said that they had not been on a cruse but would like to.
For those travelers who had been on a cruise, those who “liked it” outnumbered those who did not by nearly four to one.
It’s not all sunny, though: One-third (32%) of respondents have no plans of going on a cruise. Add that to the 6% who answered that they have cruised and have no plans to do it again, and those with a negative view of cruising almost equals those who are interested in taking a cruise.