You are called a hotel director when you aren’t managing a hotel. What’s the story behind this?
That is because we are managing a floating hotel. This is a hotel with all the amenities a hotel has, and more. With over 2,000 staterooms, 20 bars, multiple restaurants, three swimming pools, live entertainment with Broadway-style shows all onboard, there must be a person taking charge of this entire operation. The responsibilities of this person is very similar to that of a hotel general manager.
As hotel director, I handle everything with my team of 1,400 employees.
What excites you most about the cruise product in general, and in particular the Quantum of the Seas?
I’ve worked in the hotel industry for a decade prior to being with cruise ships, and I found that there is a different motivation behind why people spend time at hotels and on cruise ships. Those on a cruise are there for a vacation of a lifetime.
That’s not the case for hotels, as guests may be there for business, a flight layover or a conference. Staying at a hotel is more of a necessity, and not always to have a good time.
That’s what keeps me inspired and interested in my job. It is always a good feeling to be surrounded by good spirited people.
Quantum of the Seas itself is an exciting product with interesting itineraries. Royal Caribbean International has a great commitment to Asia, and the cruise market is growing – I want to be part of it all.
Royal Caribbean International has been reaching out to business event planners to get more corporate events onboard it ships. What would you say to convince business event planners to take their events onboard Quantum of the Seas?
We are more than a hotel which means corporate guests will have so much more to do in their spare time. In addition, everything is available in a single environment, which means event planners can be sure of their guests turning up for the meeting the next morning on time.
Imagine, it is like Vegas but with so much more to offer in a short time frame. For example, the group can meet in the day and take in a Broadway show, have fun with bumper cars, go on the Ripcord by iFly or FlowRider, or dine at one of many speciality restaurants at night.
Furthermore, everyone wakes up in a new destination every day.
I cannot think of a better place to host a corporate event than on a cruise ship. I am sure people will be thrilled to know they are going on a cruise for their conference.
The Quantum of the Seas is a real giant, which allows both holidaymakers and corporate groups to share the space onboard. How do you and your crew ensure both segments of passengers can enjoy the ship equally and feel they are all special guests?
There is something for everybody onboard Quantum of the Seas. We are able to cater to all customer segments because we have so many activities going on at the same time.
We can create a programme that suits the corporate group and also meets the needs of our regular guests.
We have a very good understanding of traffic flow during Days at Sea and Port days, so we can advise event planners on the best time for specific activities and use of specific locations.
For corporate groups onboard, we have done cool pool parties with entertainment, full restaurant buyouts, private bumper car sessions, and exclusive use of the North Star.
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Keen to see how the Quantum of the Seas can work for your next corporate event? Royal Caribbean International and TTGmice are hosting an onboard showcase in November. Watch this space for details!
More than 500 operators, investors, industry, local councils and government partners have joined forces to deliver a bold new 12-year vision to encourage visitors to stay longer and spend more in the Brisbane region.
The Visitor Economy 2031 Vision for the Brisbane region targets visiting friends and relatives, holidaymakers, students, as well as major event and business travellers.
Lord mayor Adrian Schrinner said the Visitor Economy 2031 Vision, developed by Brisbane’s economic development board Brisbane Marketing, in collaboration with industry and regional tourism partners as well as all levels of government, would help unlock the potential of the Brisbane region.
“Brisbane is transforming through A$12 billion (US$8.3 billion) worth of new developments, including Brisbane’s new runway, International Cruise Ship Terminal and Queen’s Wharf Brisbane,” he said, adding that “there is potential to secure an additional A$6.5 billion a year in visitor expenditure and support 50,000 new jobs”.
“In Brisbane, we know there is more to see and do in our region than ever before, but now we need to work together to create a globally recognised Brisbane brand and remarkable experiences to give visitors even more reason to stay and spend in our region.”
The Visitor Economy 2031 Vision aims to build experiences in Brisbane, encourage brand awareness and global advocacy, as well as encourage visitors to explore the entire Brisbane region and use Brisbane as a base to explore the rest of Australia.
Schrinner said work had already started to build a globally recognised brand for the region and unearth new experiences. Some of the initiatives underway include:
A A$10 million cooperative marketing program in collaboration with Brisbane Marketing, Brisbane Airport Corporation and the State Government targeting North America and South-east Asian markets where there are direct flights into Brisbane.
An industry-owned and shared Brisbane narrative, that captures the elements and examples that make Brisbane the region of choice for a growing number of domestic and international visitors.
The recently announced Lord Mayor’s Experience Development Incentive Grant Program that supports local businesses to offer more exceptional experiences to enhance Brisbane’s appeal as a destination of choice.
Brisbane City Council’s River Access Network that has opened up opportunities for new commissionable tourism products, similar to Sealink and the Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation’s (QYAC) newly launched Yalingbila whale watching tour.
“This Vision is a great example of collaboration, but our ambitions for the Brisbane region over the next 12 years will only be realised through a true partnership approach where all stakeholders continue to come to the table,” Schrinner said.
Brisbane Airport Corporation’s CEO Gert-Jan De Graaff said the city was in a unique position to attract more visitors and entice them to stay longer.
“Brisbane is entering an era of extraordinary opportunity and Brisbane’s new runway is a catalytic investment that will enable significant growth in international visitors for decades to come,” he said.
Momentum for Brisbane is already building with the latest tourism figures showing record numbers of domestic and international visitors from places like Sydney, Melbourne, China and the US.
Forecasts from the Visitor Economy 2031 Vision show the combined value of international and domestic overnight visitors to Brisbane will contribute nearly 90 per cent of total visitor spend and visitors will come from regional markets, interstate capital cities and Brisbane’s top six international markets, including China, India, North America, South Korea, Japan and the UK.