Genting Cruise Lines and China Southern Airlines will pull together their resources in product development, sales, marketing and promotions to create innovative, unique and competitive travel products, such as the new "Air + Cruise + Travel" program targeting MICE, group and individual travellers.
Guangzhou, China – Genting Cruise Lines, a division of Genting Hong Kong, and China Southern Airlines, which has the largest air fleet in Asia, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on a strategic fly-cruise partnership in China. Under the agreement, the two industry leaders pledged to take the fly-cruise travel concept into a new era and contribute to the development of Guangzhou as a world-class cruise homeport and travel hub.
Mr. Kent Zhu, President of Genting Cruise Lines and Mr. Laijun Luo, Director General of the Commercial Steering Committee at China Southern Airlines, led the signing ceremony attended by over 100 guests including Ms. Aiying Tan, Deputy Director, Tourism Administration of Guangzhou Municipality and Genting Cruise Lines senior executives, Ms. Yvette Yuan, Head of Sales and Senior Vice President as well as Mr. Dongliang Li, Senior Vice President of Sales Division.
Genting Cruise Lines, which consists of Star Cruises and Dream Cruises, and China Southern Airlines will pull together their resources in product development, sales, marketing and promotions to create innovative, unique and competitive travel products, such as the new “Air + Cruise + Travel” program targeting MICE, group and individual travellers.
In commemoration of the strategic partnership, Mr. Kent Zhu, President of Genting Cruise Lines (left) presented the ship model to Mr. Laijun Luo, Director General, Commercial Steering Committee of China Southern Airlines (right)
The agreement will be rolled out in two phases: the first involves cross-promotion to corporate staff and affiliates of both parties, followed by a full-fledged promotion campaign in the market to drive domestic and international travel across all sales channels.
The signing ceremony marks the beginning of a strategic fly-cruise partnership between the two companies, in which both parties will further develop joint promotion opportunities on loyalty programs, such as exclusive access to VIP lounges and express check-ins; affiliate rewards programs, express luggage portal service and more. This partnership will provide travellers with an augmented fly-cruise experience, complimented with the ease and convenience of a one-stop service by two of the most prominent industry leaders in the cruise and air travel industries.
“As the first cruise line dedicated to the development of the cruising industry in Southern China, Genting Cruise Lines is pioneering this cross-industry strategic collaboration with China Southern Airlines to initiate the full-fledged launch of the fly-cruise concept in China,” said Mr. Zhu. “It is our goal to expand the source market of Guangzhou, propelling the advancement and development of the cruising industry in the country.”
“This partnership on the promotion of fly-cruise will leverage on our extensive route network of Chinese and Asian destinations, as well as the strategic fleet deployments of Genting Cruise Lines to set an unprecedented quality of fly-cruise travel that allows seamless connections between the air and the sea, as well as driving the economic development of various port cities with massive market potential,” said Mr. Luo.
The airplane model of “Dream 787” was presented by Mr. Laijun Luo, Director General, Commercial Steering Committee of China Southern Airlines (right) to Mr. Kent Zhu, President of Genting Cruise Lines (right), wishing the partnership to soar to new heights
This strategic partnership is supported by the Tourism Administration of Guangzhou Municipality, which will host the Guangzhou Cruise Tourism Culture Festival to showcase distinctive offerings of Guangzhou tourism, among which includes the promotion of the “Air + Cruise + Land” travel concept in Southern China.
The exclusive fly-cruise package presented by Genting Cruise Lines and China Southern Airlines will be officially launched on 28 June, which will coincide with the monthly China Southern Member Day. Over a million China Southern Airlines members will enjoy exclusive on board dining credits upon purchase of fly-cruise packages comprising of direct flights from over 40 cities in China to Guangzhou, paired with the 5-night cruises to Okinawa on Genting Dream.
Dream Cruises and Star Cruises, the two brands under Genting Cruise Lines in Asia, will have strategic deployments in 2017 that span over 10 countries and territories, 12 homeports and 37 destinations in Asia offering a diversified spectrum of cruise itineraries. From July to October, SuperStar Virgo, the flagship of Star Cruises, will be deployed at her new homeports in Shanghai and Osaka with the new “Golden Sea Route” itinerary. On the other hand, Genting Dream, Dream Cruises’ first luxury cruise ship, currently based in Hong Kong and Guangzhou, will move to her new homeport in Singapore in November offering guests diverse itineraries in Southeast Asia including North Bali and Surabaya as well as Penang, Phuket and Kuala Lumpur. Dream Cruises’ newest luxury ship World Dream will arrive in November and be homeported in Hong Kong and Guangzhou.
Photo caption: Distinguished guests include Ms. Aiying Tan, Deputy Director, Tourism Administration of Guangzhou Municipality; (6th left); Mr. Kent Zhu, President of Genting Cruise Lines (5th left); as well as Mr. Laijun Luo, Director General, Commercial Steering Committee of China Southern Airlines (5th right), and Mr. Dongliang Li, Senior Vice President of Sales Division of China Southern Airlines (4th left) witnessed the signing ceremony between Genting Cruise Lines and China Southern Airlines
Angelos is the news editor for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). His role includes to monitor the hundrends of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skim the most important according to our strategy. He currently studies Communication, Media & Culture in Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens.
