Tag Archives: Norwegian Cruise Line

This Week in Travel and Tourism — 4/23/2012

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DOMESTIC

New York looks to China and Brazil for big tourism growth

New York aims to boost tourism’s annual economic impact by almost 45% during the next three years by increasing marketing efforts in South America and the Asia-Pacific region. Between 2011 and 2015, the number of annual visits from China and Hong Kong will jump 51% to 494,000, while the number of annual visits from Brazil will rise 45% to 1.02 million, projected NYC & Company, New York’s tourism-marketing organization.

U.S. prepares to launch $150M tourism marketing drive

A $150 million campaign to encourage foreign travelers to visit the U.S. is set to begin in May, led by the U.S. Travel Association. The program spans a variety of media and marks the country’s fist coordinated attempt to market itself to the international traveling community.

AIRLINE

United Continental posts $448 M Q1 loss

United Continental Holdings reported a $448 million net loss for the first quarter, compared with a $213 million net loss for the same period last year. The loss includes $162 million in special costs “primarily” related to United’s integration of Continental Airlines, according to the carrier.

JetBlue Q1 profit up tenfold

JetBlue Airways reported a $30 million first-quarter net profit, up from $3 million for the first three months of 2011.

JetBlue’s average quarterly one-way fare increased 6% year over year to $159.93, the carrier’s “highest quarterly average fare ever,” according to CFO Mark Powers. First-quarter passenger unit revenue grew 8% year over year on a 12% increase in capacity.

Delta, US Airways expect profitable summer on strong Q1 results

Delta Air Lines and US Airways posted profits of $124 million and $48 million, respectively, compared with losses in the previous year and predicted a strong summer travel season based on steady demand growth. Observers are predicting that airlines will try for further airfare increases to capitalize on the strong demand.

CRUISE

Carnival Glory’s extended Boston sailings will continue in 2013

Carnival has unveiled plans to extend a series of sailings from Boston for the summer 2013 season. The schedule this summer will comprise four- and five-night voyages to Canada aboard the Carnival Glory. Starting June 2013, the Glory will undertake three seven-night cruises.

Norwegian’s Partners First program marks successful first year

Norwegian Cruise Line plans to build on the positive feedback that its Partners First initiative received in its first year through changes that would further simplify agents’ operations, said Andy Stuart, Norwegian’s executive vice president of global sales and passenger services. Planned changes include expanding Partners First Weekends, a restructuring of the in-house reservations department and a shift from offering amenity points for agents to dollars.

ETC.

Winner of Etihad contest will double salary

Etihad Airways, flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates, has launched a promotion under which it will match one U.S. travel agent’s salary ($90,000 limit).

This Week in Travel and Tourism – 4/16/2012

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INTERNATIONAL

MGM eyes Toronto for sprawling integrated resort and casino

MGM Resorts International has begun reaching out to Toronto officials to put forward a possible resort-casino project in the city. The potential $2 billion to $6 billion project could include hotels, convention space and restaurants. “It’s an amazing market, it’s an amazing city. We’d be prepared to invest an awful lot in the development of the concept,” said Alan Feldman, a senior vice president at MGM.

AIRLINE

Southwest’s AirTran to Keep Fees Three Years After Merger

Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV), the only major U.S. carrier without bag-check and rebooking fees, will keep those charges at its AirTran Airways unit into 2014, three years after the two combined. That’s the target date to fully integrate AirTran into its Dallas-based parent, and the fees will stay in place until then, Chief Executive Officer Gary Kelly said today in an interview.

AirTran to launch Orange County’s first Mexico service

AirTran will launch once-daily service from John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, Calif., to Cabo San Lucas and Mexico City on June 3. It is the airport’s first Mexico service.

CRUISE

Cruise lines and tour operators eat costs of higher fuel

As gas prices flirt with the $4-per-gallon mark for the first time since 2008, the travel industry is anxiously bracing for signs of what impact higher fuel costs will have on summer travel. While airlines have been steadily increasing fuel surcharges for transatlantic flights and raising domestic airfares to cover costs, tour operators and cruise lines interviewed for this report said they are still absorbing the additional costs. None were yet willing to say they planned to implement fuel surcharges this year.

Norwegian Getaway to sail from Miami year-round

Norwegian Cruise Line will base the 4,000-passenger Norwegian Getaway year-round in Miami when the ship enters service in the spring of 2014.
Theme Cruising Gains Popularity

Travel agents should seize on the growing popularity of theme cruises, which offer an opportunity for agents to attract first-time cruisers and increase their client base, travel sellers say. Suppliers are joining the trend with special-interest voyages, featuring a wide range of themes, including bowling and classical music.

ETC.

Airlines lose fewer bags, arrive on time more often in February

The nation’s largest airlines set new records in February for the best on-time arrival rates and the lowest lost luggage rates. The airlines had some help in providing such improved service: February’s weather was unusually mild across the country, and airline industry experts say airlines are losing fewer bags because passengers are packing less luggage to avoid bag-check fees. In February, 86.2% of the flights flown by the nation’s airlines arrived on time, up from 74.5% in February 2011 and 83.7% in January of this year, according to Department of Transportation data released Thursday.