Coronavirus Impact: Cruise Line Industry At Standstill
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - The coronavirus pandemic has virtually crippled the tourism industry.
The cruise line industry is at a standstill and besieged with plenty of horror stories about ships swept with the coronavirus, sick passengers and deaths on board.
Brand expert Bruce Turkel says, "Going right to the cruise business that is like stepping on the nail right off the bat because they, of all tourism offerings, are going to have the hardest problem."
Turkel, who is a tourism branding guru based in Miami, says tourism has not been impacted like this since, 9/11 or Hurricane Andrew.
"The cruise lines have a very small window right now to start telling their customers and potential customers who they are and why they matter," says Turkel.
"So what to do? Bottom line is you got to sell the product. Sure you have to get people comfortable again with ships that are registered in foreign countries to avoid, U.S. Labor laws, taxes, and regulations."
"Assure them about onboard medical services, sanitation, screening passengers."
"If you focus on the intellectual factor, where ships are registered, clearly it looks like a losing proposition but marketing is never about focusing on intellectual factors. It is about focusing on the emotional factor."
The sell will always be the experience, the getaway, but how do you get 'em back on board?
"Right now, if I was the cruise line I would be spending a lot of time, money and effort running ads, running programs on social media. Say, we are like you. I would be showing the captain, the sales staff, Julie the cruise director. I would be talking abut I am from Minnesota, I am from Miami, I am from the Philippines and am from here and we are from you. We are in the is with you."
Early on, some cruise lines are already modifying current strict cancellation policies. But to this point not a lot about easing concerns about enhanced onboard health policies.
