More experts, more multimedia and shorter, highly focused panel discussions at the leading international cruise event this year
For 30 years now, Cruise Shipping Miami (CSM) has been one of the cruise industry’s leading global exhibitions and conferences[ds_preview], bringing together buyers and suppliers for networking, sourcing and education. Companies and organisations seeking to or currently doing business with the international cruise industry get together at Miami Beach Convention Center from 10 to 13 March 2014. This time, the tradeshow floor is segmented into seven targeted product sectors offering easy access to cruise line decision makers. The net exhibition area will be 14,318m2. New elements will be the Cruise Trends Theater – a focused, product and services platform to discuss new industry trends, an enhanced VIP program and a multimedia pavilion where exhibitors can display new products. The latter is called Emerging Products Zone where total showcase packages to attract customers are provided for partaking companies.
More than 979 exhibiting companies participate in the event in early spring. The exhibitor list reads like a who is who in cruising, with all big players present: Aida Cruises, Carnival, Celebrity Cruises, Club Med, Costa, Cunard, Disney, Hapag-Lloyd, MSC, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Carribean, TUI Cruises and many more, including leading river cruise companies.
Among those to attend the CSM will be thousands of cruise line executives, buyers and decision makers from all over the world. About 10,000 attendees are expected, when the latest market information and trends are closely looked into here. Visitors may attend informative conference sessions that are organised during the trade show.
Conference program on Monday
The World Cruise Tourism Summit and its workshops will take up the whole first day again. This series of round-table discussions with cruise and maritime experts is looking into a variety of operational topics.
… on Tuesday
Based on feedback by previous CSM events, the conference program has been restructured according to four thematic streams: Ships and Ship Operations, The Global Geography of Cruise Tourism, Market Segments and Cruise Product Development.
Starting with an outlook on the »State of the Industry« in cooperation with Hong Kong Tourism Board at Tuesday, 11 March, 9:30 h, concurrent sessions will take place. As these sessions will cover all four thematic streams simultaneously, attendees interested in staying in touch with Ships and Ship Operations will not miss an event, for example, neither those who want to be at everything related to any of the other three thematic streams. On the first day at 15:00 h there will be »Safety and Security« from Ships and Ship Operations, »Asia/Australia« from session The Global Geography as well as »Family Cruising« from Market Segments and finally »Marketing & Sales/Distribution« related to Cruise Product Development.
… on Wednesday
The next day will start at 9:30 h either with a »Newbuilding Outlook« where the long-term future of Europe’s established shipyards is opposed to Asian yards eager to expand in cruise ship building. Or at the same time »Europe« and the varied nature and potential of the different national markets, like the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, France and others, is focused. Session »Upscale Cruise« will consider the opportunities in the luxury cruise market while »New Directions in Onboard Entertainment« add another highlight. These sessions will end 11:00 h. At 10:00 h, however, the »U.S. Coast Guard Forum« presented by the U.S. Coast Guard Cruise Ship National Center of Expertise will open. In the afternoon (15:00–16:30 h) it is time for »Cruising’s Green Agenda«. »The Caribbean« and this region’s new attractions in response to growing competition but also »Expedition Cruising« and its large variety of offerings are on the agenda. Meanwhile »Onboard Revenue Generation« will be discussing intranet and internet technology and ways to reinvent traditional revenue models.
… on Thursday
The last day features »Refurbishment«, a market that is moving closer to the revenue created in equivalent newbuilding sector. Also on the morning sessions is »The Interface with the Port and the Role of the Ship Agent«. »Itineraries and Shorex« will look at the importance of shorex programs to the cruise product, while »Sea and Air« will review the relationship between the cruise industry and the airlines. In the afternoon »Technical Innovations at Sea« will feature new entertainment like simulated skydiving, an observation capsule but also scrubber technology. The second afternoon session will be »Cruise Terminal Design Now and for the Future«, while »River Cruise« will deal with European river cruising but also US flag river cruising. »What’s Cooking? Food & Beverage Trends« will be concurrent session from Cruise Product Development.
