The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is moving its annual National Cruise Vacation Month (NCVM) promotional campaign…
The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is moving its annual National Cruise Vacation Month (NCVM) promotional campaign from February to October to help agents generate even larger numbers of lucrative winter-cruise bookings.
“By moving CLIA’s NCVM promotion to more of an off-peak period for the industry, travel agents will be able to dedicate more time to participating in CLIA’s NCVM promotional programs and activities, which will in turn translate into higher numbers of winter-season reservations,” said Terry Dale, CLIA’s President and CEO.
Although the February NCVM has become a CLIA icon, the promotion can be improved through greater agent participation, said Dale. “By moving NCVM to October, CLIA agents will have a strong hook to aggressively market winter cruise vacations just as the weather is turning colder in the Eastern U.S.”
Dale added, “The October NCVM will also serve as a reminder to cruise vacationers to book early to ensure the best stateroom and itinerary selections for the busy winter season.”
NCVM’s traditional February timing has long coincided with cruising’s ‘Wave’ season, traditionally the industry’s heaviest booking period. Because so many agencies are strained by heavy Wave booking volume, said Dale, many find it difficult to tie into concurrent NCVM promotions. A primary CLIA objective for NCVM is to provide a platform for member agencies to increase their sales.
An array of exciting new October NCVM promotions and communications initiatives – including “The World’s Largest Cruise Night,” a grassroots promotional program for agents – will be announced over the next several months, said Dale.
The October NCVM will dovetail with CLIA’s first-ever travel event, cruise3sixty, scheduled from September 30 to October 2, 2005, in Fort Lauderdale. This unprecedented industry event will set the tone for CLIA’s October NCVM promotional activities.
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