Cruising is now a year round product with the number of ships deployed in the Mediterranean outside the traditional summer season significant and growing. There are many other examples around the world of deployments that break out of the familiar seasonal pattern with ships based in New York year round, and Christmas cruise itineraries in North Europe.
With interest in winter cruising growing, Seatrade, publisher and events organiser for the maritime industries, is set to launch the Seatrade Winter Cruising Forum, Malta in 2008. Between January 17-18 2008, a cross section of the stakeholders in this still new cruise concept will come together in Malta to discuss how its huge potential can be realised.
Malta, the epicentre of many winter cruise itineraries, will be the location for the inaugural event, the principal sponsor of which will be the Malta Tourism Authority.
MTA Chairman Sam Mifsud Mifsud welcomed the news that that a prestigious international organisation such as Seatrade selected Malta as the venue to launch its winter cruising Forum and augured that this event will be followed by other international high-calibre initiatives revolving around the cruising and maritime industries. The Malta Tourism Authority immediately recognised the event’s potential and came on board as main sponsor.
Supported and endorsed by Cruise Europe, the European Cruise Council and MedCruise, the event will consist of a one and a half day conference along with a half-day workshop on Mediterranean destinations.
Leading, high profile speakers will come together to discuss the latest trends and developments in winter cruising including: itinerary selection, shorex programmes, marketing and distributing the product, navigation and routing, ship design and construction for winter cruising and on-board revenue generation. Accompanying the conference and workshop will be a full and lively social programme around Malta, in this outstandingly appealing environment of one of the Mediterranean’s most popular cruise destinations.
Visit www.seatrade-europe.com/malta for more information and to register your interest or contact Seatrade. Tel: +44 1206 545121; Fax: +44 1206 545190; or [email protected]