21 July 2016
Specialist travel agents are heading to Portsmouth International Port on 21 July, to learn more about expedition cruises. It also offers the perfect opportunity for PIP to show the travel agents the exciting cruises that start from Portsmouth and visit the Great Waterfront City.
The expert advisers have been invited by CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association), the industry group that is dedicated to promoting the benefits of holidays at sea. The theme of this year’s event is ‘discovery cruising’, a popular sector of the cruise holiday market.
With world class attractions on its doorstep Portsmouth International Port is perfectly placed for cruise ship passengers looking to explore the city’s rich maritime heritage. Guest speaker, Paul Sherry from cruise excursion company, More Than a Tour, is working with the Port to promote the benefits to cruise companies of visiting the city. He will explain to the agents the wide range of historical and other visitor attractions found close to the gangway at Portsmouth International Port.
Representatives from Silversea and Scenic will be in the impressive passenger terminal to brief the agents on their latest discovery and explorer cruises, holidays on small luxury ships that aim to get guests closer to interesting destinations.
Rupert Taylor, Harbour Master at Portsmouth International Port, is responsible for developing the cruise business at the Port. Rupert said “This is the fourth CLIA Expo that we’ve hosted, and this year we will focus on promoting our wonderful city to an ever growing number of interested travel agents. We have carved a niche handling discovery and explorer cruise ships, with an excellent range of holidays starting from and visiting Portsmouth.”
Portsmouth based marine wildlife charity ORCA will also be talking to the travel agents. The whale watching experts will explain how they are training the bridge crew of Swan Hellenic’s Minerva to spot whales, dolphins and porpoises on journeys to and from Portsmouth International Port. The data will help the charity understand more about the distribution of these magnificent creatures and how to protect them in the future.
All Leisure Holidays, the parent company of Swan Hellenic, has recently extended its contract to base cruise ships at Portsmouth International Port during the summer season. ALH will host a presentation for the CLIA delegates onboard Minerva. The travel agents will also get a chance to tour the ship, and learn more about the range of holidays ALH offers from Portsmouth.
For further information please contact Emma Gaisford/Julie Blackwell on 01256 631696 or email julie.blackwell@purple-agency.com or emma.gaisford@purple-agency.com