Seatrade Seminar to train Middle East Cruise and Travel Retailers

Seatrade Middle East Maritime, the region’s premier convention for the shipping industry which will be held in Dubai in December, is to feature a one-day training seminar for the region’s cruise and travel retailers.

The free-to-attend seminar, on December 8th, will be conducted by Bryony Coulson, General Manager of the prestigious Passenger Shipping Association Retail Agent Scheme (PSARA), the training and education arm of the Passenger Shipping Association representing the UK’s cruise industry.

The seminar is part of Seatrade Middle East’s Cruise conference which is aimed at unlocking the region’s cruise tourism potential.

“Cruises are becoming a much sought-after product within the Middle East and it is important that the region’s travel retailers are bang up-to-date with industry developments,” said Coulson. “The key is to match the customer with the right cruise ship and itinerary. PSARA training can ensure the booking process becomes easier, that agents receive valuable information on special fares, accommodation facilities, new ships and itineraries.”

The Seatrade Middle East Maritime cruise conference – one of two parallel streams at the event – will examined itinerary options for cruise tourism in the Gulf and the Indian Ocean, infrastructure development in the region and the potential of the west coast of India as a new cruise destination as well as regional source markets.

“Delegates will learn what kind of cruise product the regional passenger is looking for and better understand the scope of the cruise market throughout the Middle East, India and Pakistan,” explained Chris Hayman, Managing Director, Seatrade.

The second conference stream at Seatrade Middle East Maritime, which will run at the Dubai World Trade Centre from December 6-8, will focus on general shipping issues.

Meanwhile, the Seatrade exhibition, which will run alongside the conference, is set to triple in size and has won first-time pavilion commitments from the shipping industry in India, Iran and Pakistan.

Seatrade Maritime Middle East is being held under the patronage of His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Defence Minister. Principal sponsors of the event are the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, Government of Dubai; Dubai Maritime City; Dubai Port Authority and the Islamic Republic Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL).

The event is also supported by the Dubai Shipping Agents’ Association, the Indian National Shipowners’ Association, the National Association of Freight and Logistics, The Nautical Institute UAE Branch and the UAE National Ship Suppliers Association.