Industry Challenges Underscore Seatrade Convention’s Importance

The 2002 Seatrade Cruise Shipping Convention and trade show will be held on March 11-15 at the Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami, Fla. It will provide cruise lines and suppliers a venue to exchange ideas on marketing and management, as well as the latest advances in ship operation, technology, and vessel design. In the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks, the cruise industry is facing its most serious challenges in a decade. With a stagnant global economy, massive fleet redeployments and consumers wary of traveling, the 2002 Cruise Shipping Convention will provide a forum where cruise line executives and suppliers can find ideas, products and services to help them stay competitive in a harsh business climate. Seatrade is expected to draw more than 9,000 participants from 90 countries -- providing a platform for executives to foster solutions in efforts to counter the effects of September 11. Current industry trends to be analyzed include globalization, customer service, emerging technologies, cruise marketing, itinerary development, personnel recruitment and management, and operations. The five-day event features a trade show with more than 950 exhibition booths and a conference with industry executives discussing and debating a variety of topical issues.

The World Cruise Tourism Summit, organized in association with the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association and the International Council of Cruise Lines, will be held on Monday, March 11 and will offer a series of roundtables led by industry experts. Seatrade will be highlighted by a variety of conferences including, the "State of the Industry" Debate which will be held on Tuesday, March 12, and will feature a panel of leading industry personalities who will analyze and discuss current and future trends in the cruise business. Christopher Hayman, managing director of the Seatrade Organization, will set the stage for the debate with his opening remarks, and Mark Conroy, chairman of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and president and CEO of Radisson Seven Seas Cruises, will deliver the introductory address. The afternoon sessions will include an Analysts and Bankers Panel, where executives and representatives of the financial community will address cruise line consolidation issues in 2002 and 2003, concurrently running with a forum presented by the U.S. Coast Guard. On Wednesday March 13, the “Cruise Lines and Shipyards: An Ongoing Relationship,” conference will feature a panel and will analyze the outlook on new building beyond 2004 and examine the implications of current market conditions for lines, yards and manufacturers. The last day of sessions on March 14, will feature discussions on “Seamless Security By Air, Land and Sea, and Risk Assessment,” and will examine the total security challenge and insurance cost for the cruise industry. The conference concludes Thursday afternoon with a session on “Cost Control: The Techniques and Technology of Operating Efficiency,” focusing on how to optimize savings on a variety of issues from planned maintenance and dry-docking to fuel efficiency. For delegate registration or exhibition information for the Seatrade Cruise Shipping Convention, contact CMP Princeton Inc., 125 Village Blvd., # 220, Princeton, NJ 08540; phone (609) 452-2800; fax (609) 452-9374; or visit the Seatrade Cruise Shipping Convention Web site at www.cruiseshipping.net.