Travel industry veterans have combined forces to launch WorldCruise.cn, “a new company that is expected to change the face of the cruise industry,” catering specifically to the needs of Chinese-speaking travelers and travel professionals worldwide.
Dwain Wall, whose departure from CLIA was recently announced, will serve as Co-President & Chief Operating Officer, tapped by the leadership team from one of China’s top-producing travel agencies and founders of the new company.
“There are currently more than 3M travel agents in China, but only a few hundred sell cruise product,” said Wall. “According to China’s Executive Vice President of Tourism, of the more than 100M Chinese tourists who travel abroad each year, only .6 percent chose cruise travel in 2013. China is ahead in so many ways, but I’ve been astounded to learn how much opportunity exists for education and growth within the Chinese cruise sector. When you look at the size of the market and the fact that we’ve barely scratched the surface, you realize how exciting of a time this truly is for the cruise industry.”
When it officially launches in Q2 2015, WorldCruise.cn, which is currently in beta testing, will serve as the country’s first and only comprehensive online platform serving Chinese-speaking travelers and agents.
Chinese travel agents will be given a user name and login to access WorldCruise.cn. There, they can search live cruise and shore excursion inventory with real-time pricing and availability, booking their clients immediately for the first time ever. Agents can also, using WorldCruise.cn, create their own customized cruise packages and land tours, opening up booking to other agents and consumers directly.
WorldCruise.cn features a platform designed to let Chinese agents – again for the first time – load partial or full-ship charters, opening up their group space to other agents and travelers. Not only does the system create a seamless way for agents to manage blocked space, availability and pricing, but it vastly increases overall earning potential, allowing agents to book their clients into space blocked and posted by others.
