Cruise Industry To Thrive Regardless of Future Access To Cuba

Cruise Industry To Thrive Regardless of Future Access To Cuba
Tue Jul 21 2009, by Travel Trade Staff

The impact on the cruise industry should the US/Cuban rules change,
while somewhat significant, won't happen in the short term and will
benefit other industries more than the cruise industry, according to
Christopher Dane, president of HRG Affiliates, which is a part of Hogg
Robinson Group, the third largest travel management company in the world.

Regardless of whether or not Cuban access is granted, the cruise
industry will do well because it still has significant upside in growth,
since only about 17% of the population in North America has even been on
a cruise vacation, he said.

According to Dane, Cuba needs to invest heavily in its infrastructure in
order to accommodate any significant growth in tourism. The building and
hotel industries will be the biggest benefactors in "opening up Cuba" to
US travelers.

"Cuba is a wonderful destination," Royal Caribbean Chief Executive
Richard Fain said in an interview to Reuters last month. "Granting
access is going to help the industry. It's not going to transform the
industry.

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(21 July 2009)
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