FCCA Travel and Cruise Magazine – 1st Quarter 2025
Here’s How to Know.
In the cruise industry, success isn’t just about offering tours — it’s about delivering experiences that truly connect with your guests and that they can’t stop talking about. Today’s travelers expect more than a checklist of sights. They crave meaningful and immersive moments that reflect the heart of your destination and brings it to life.
That’s why staying ahead means constantly assessing, adapting and elevating what you offer. Are your experiences keeping up with guest expectations? Do they reflect your brand’s values? The key to standing out? Delivering the right experiences to the right guests—every single time.
Key Challenges we’re facing:
• Staying Relevant: Guest expectations shift quickly, and trends evolve just as fast. Are your experiences keeping up?
• Consistency in Quality: Delivering excellence across different operators and services can be challenging. How do you ensure every experience meets the highest standards?
• Sustainability: Growth and profitability matter, but so does responsible tourism. How can you expand your offerings while protecting the environment and supporting local communities?
The Solution? Continuous Improvement & Innovation
The most successful destinations never stop evolving. This doesn’t mean reinventing everything each season – it’s about refining, evaluating, enhancing and anticipating upcoming trends. Looking ahead and being proactive in product development ensures you’re ready for future demands.
A thoughtful destination assessment and product analysis can uncover your strengths, highlight growth opportunities, and pinpoint gaps in your offerings. It helps you define what sets you apart while ensuring your experiences are truly aligned with what cruise guests want.
At Aquila, we specialize in destination assessment, product analysis and experience development. With the right tools and a commitment to continuous growth, destinations can not only meet but exceed guest expectations – while ensuring tourism remains sustainable and impactful responsible tourism.
Tips for Destination Product Success:
• Listen to Your Guests – Always: Feedback is your most powerful tool. Use it to refine experiences, enhance quality, and develop fresh ideas that resonate and remain relevant.
• Create Strong Partnerships: Collaborate with local businesses and cruise industry partners to unlock your destination’s full potential. Together, you can brainstorm new, unforgettable experiences.
• Think Sustainably: Guests care about their impact – so should you. Responsible tourism isn’t just a trend; it’s the key to the destinations and to the cruise industry’s future.
• Stay Trend-Savvy: Keep an eye on emerging travel trends. What are cruise lines looking for? What tech innovations or personalized experiences are becoming must-haves? Stay ahead of the curve.
• Get Strategic with Pricing: Price your experiences to reflect their value while staying competitive. Industry trends, guest demand, and experience quality should all play a role in your pricing strategy.
Final Thoughts:
The destinations that stand out and thrive are the ones that evolve, innovate, and continuously improve. By staying proactive and aligning your experiences with guest expectations, you’ll create products that excite travelers, boost your destination’s reputation, and ensure long-term success.
Ready to elevate your destination?
Let’s talk about how Aquila can help you refine, enhance and develop market-driven experiences that keep guests coming back for more!
Our team will be at Seatrade Global (FCCA booth) and launching the second annual Training Wave Season that will help with Developing Tour Product and Experiences.
Beth Kelly Hatt is the President of the Aquila Center for Cruise Excellence, the FCCA’s exclusive training partner, with over 40 years in business. For more information about our programs and initiatives, reach out to Beth@CruiseExcellence.com.