From June 2 to 6, Vancouver will welcome Cruise3sixty, the leading education and networking event for all cruise industry travel professionals in North America. This will be the first time in the six-year history of the conference that it will be held outside of Fort Lauderdale.
Tourism Vancouver, working together with partners Port Metro Vancouver, Vancouver International Airport and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, won the bid to bring the conference to the city, recognizing the importance of showcasing the destination and facilities to the 1,800 cruise specialist travel agents and cruise line industry delegates that will attend the show.
“This conference is a fantastic way to demonstrate to cruise agents the value in having their clients choose to sail from Vancouver and spend a few extra days in the city before or after their cruise,” said Dayna Miller, Tourism Vancouver’s director of Sales, Travel Trade. “Hosting the Cruise3sixty conference represents Tourism Vancouver’s commitment to increasing demand for Vancouver-based Alaskan cruises through education and first-hand experience.”
As the show is being held in the Vancouver for the first time, this year attendees will have the opportunity to preview the Alaskan cruise fleet that sails from the city’s world-class port at Canada Place. Pre and post-conference destination familiarization tours and an impressive variety of city sightseeing tours are being offered to registered agents, many of which are already sold out.
“We are confident that the Vancouver cruise product through the Inside Passage, made even more attractive with environmental sustainability initiatives such as shore power, and convenient access between Canada Place and Vancouver International Airport via Vancouver’s new Canada Line rapid transit system, will serve to keep Vancouver an attractive and competitive destination for the cruise industry,” said Greg Wirtz, manager, Trade Development, Port Metro Vancouver.
Cruise3sixty is the official travel agency conference of the Cruise Line Industry Association (CLIA). The conference will be held at the Vancouver Convention Centre along with the port’s facilities. The conference offers an extensive educational program including CLIA accreditation, training and professional development seminars, destination and product workshops, hands-on technology training, product updates from the CLIA-member cruise lines and a trade show.
“We are delighted to have the opportunity of hosting the cruise travel industry’s premiere annual event,” said Kevin Krueger, Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts. “The cruise ship sector is a vital part of the B.C. economy, generating $1.6 billion in annual revenues and creating upwards of 7,400 jobs last year alone. As a follow-up to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, this major conference highlights Vancouver’s position as a leading, world-class tourist destination.”
The opening welcome reception, hosted by Tourism Vancouver, Port Metro Vancouver, Vancouver International Airport Authority and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture will be held at the Vancouver Aquarium.
Tourism Vancouver’s focus is on building exceptional customer relationships with meeting planners, travel influencers, travel media and independent tourists. The organization’s brand essence is about “exceeding expectations”.
