Thursday, August 22, 2024 Travel Associates Launches Luxury Cruise Season in Sydney Travel Associates has officially launched the luxury cruise season with a celebratory event at Sydney’s Overseas Passenger Terminal. The event, which featured 10 leading luxury cruise brands, marked the beginning of a series of events that will take place across Australia and New Zealand. The FCTG-owned Travel Associates brand, known for its 65 businesses across Australia and New Zealand, hosted the event to showcase the upcoming luxury cruise experiences.
The 10 luxury cruise partners in attendance included Crystal, Disney Cruise Line, Explora Journeys, Hurtigruten Expeditions, Ponant, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Scenic Eclipse, Tauck, and Viking. The evening’s festivities took place against the iconic backdrop of the Sydney Opera House, where guests enjoyed specially crafted cocktails from each of the luxury cruise brands. Model and presenter Francesca Hung welcomed attendees, followed by speeches from Rachel Kingswell, General Manager of Travel Associates AU/NZ, and Danielle Galloway, Global Managing Director of the Luxury and Independent divisions for FCTG.
Kingswell highlighted the rapid growth of luxury cruising, noting a 26% increase in luxury cruise bookings over the past year, which now accounts for 25% of the brand’s sales. She emphasized the importance of the event as a preview of the upcoming consumer events that will take place across five major cities in the coming weeks, where over 20 luxury partners will be showcased. Danielle Galloway discussed current trends in the luxury cruising market, particularly the rise of new-to-industry luxury cruisers and the growing demand for small ship and river cruising, which offers access to more exclusive destinations.
Europe remains the top destination, but new regions like Scandinavia are gaining popularity alongside traditional Mediterranean routes. The event symbolized the strong momentum in the luxury cruise sector and Travel Associates’ commitment to providing exceptional travel experiences. With consumer interest high, the upcoming events across Australia and New Zealand are expected to draw significant attention from both existing and new customers.
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