A discussion of best practices in the tourism industry focusing on the Cruise Line industry, specifically Carnival Cruises.
This paper provides a a step by step account of how Carnival Cruise Lines has earned the dominant position they have today in the tourism industry through strategic alliances, marketing and how they have used technology to leverage their competitive advantage. It focuses on their efforts in four areas: being family orientated; being environmentally friendly; convenience and customer service; and their affiliations and strategic initiatives and shows how through these efforts customers stay loyal and come back in the future on one of their other cruises.
“Carnival Cruise management have a strong ability to recognize social trends such as the need for short 3-5 day vacations (mini-vacations) and have invested in travel and tourism related companies to help them offer the best vacation in that short time period. For example, Carnival purchased Cunard Line Limted And Airtows PLC to help compliment their cruises with land activities. This is given Carnival the ability to fully control and create packages for three different adventure categories that are truly unique to Carnival such as Dog Sledding in Alaska. Management has also been able to align itself with companies such as Universal Studio’s.”