baby boomers
Former Carnival CEO Bob Dickinson
According to a recent Harris poll, cruising has taken a serious hit in the wake of the Carnival Triumph’s power failure at sea, which received saturation coverage in the media. The public has less trust in cruises, perceives the quality of cruising in a more negative light, and is less likely to book a cruise now.
It also regards air travel as safer than cruising, the poll says.
While the results were particularly bad for Carnival, they also extended in varying degrees to other cruise lines the poll tested.
Carnival is now working to regain its tarnished reputation. Carnival Corp. — which owns not just Carnival Cruise Lines but several other lines including Holland America, Princess, Costa, Cunard and Seabourn — has hired Carnival’s former CEO, Bob Dickinson, as a consultant to “reassess the brands.” Dickinson is a legend in the industry and as… Continue reading
Universal Studios Hollywood logo — courtesy of Universal Studios
Universal Studios Hollywood theme park is now aggressively marketing $299 “V.I.P. Experience” passes that allow users to skip to the front of lines — avoiding waits that can sometimes seem interminable.
According to this June 10 New York Times piece, V.I.P.s also have access to valet parking and parts of the studio’s normally closed back lot, are treated to rides on special escorted trolleys, and are fed two gourmet meals (breakfast and lunch). The park even throws in some hand sanitizer, a poncho to stay dry and some mints.
If you just want to get to the front of lines or shows without waiting, you can shell out $149 ($169 in peak summer), which is considerably more than the already-steep regular one-day admission price of $84.
The allure of not standing in 45-minute lines on hot summer… Continue reading
The Viking Europe — photo from Viking River Cruises
In a previous post I talked about how Viking River Cruises, the world’s largest river cruise line, is branching out into the realm of ocean cruising, using much the same successful model they’ve used to build a river cruise empire around the globe.
Today I want to talk about the customers they’ve built that river cruise empire around: baby boomers.
In an informative article in Travel Weekly, detailing a press conference that marked the naming of ten new Viking Longships this spring, Viking’s chairman and CEO Torstein Hagen was blunt about his target market: “people with some curiosity, who have worked hard and earned some money. They haven’t had time to see these places — and not just see, but experience the culture. They’re grown-up people. They speak English. They are 55-plus.”
Hagen then continued to say, “We have… Continue reading
Alice’s Wonderland logo — courtesy of Alice’s Wonderland
Earlier this week I received e-mailed birthday greetings from a car dealer, my dentist, a local restaurant and a store specializing in outdoor clothing and gear, all businesses I have patronized at least once in the past.
While none of these caught my attention as much as, say, the e-cards and e-mails I got from family and friends, they did give me a few momentary warm and fuzzy feelings about these various businesses (even my dentist). But are they more likely to get my repeat business because of them?
Maybe, maybe not. At the very least, they reminded me that they exist, and that’s a start. Only one of them, though, gave me a further incentive to actually pay a visit, and that was the outdoor gear store, which included a printable coupon for $15 off purchases to spend during my… Continue reading
White-cheeked Gibbons in the Bronx Zoo — photo from Bronx Zoo
In a previous post on Re-Branding the Bronx, I talked about the challenges of finding ways to combat the “bad first impression,” as one image consultant put it, that many people have had about the Bronx in the past. When tourists decide where to spend their time in New York City, how many of them are scared off by lingering Bronx images of crime, abandoned burned cars, and Bonfire-of-the-Vanities-meets-Fort Apache-style scary neighborhoods?
Well, it’s a new day in the northernmost borough of the city, so let me reiterate some of the reasons to love the Bronx:
The Bronx Zoo — one of the world’s finest.
The Botanical Gardens — flowers and plants galore near the zoo, a great place to wander.
Wave Hill — overlooking the Hudson, this estate may be be the most peaceful spot in all of… Continue reading
Hanging out at the Bronx Zoo. Photo from Bronxzoo.com
As a former resident of the Bronx — albeit on idyllic City Island, which is more like a New England fishing village than a big-city neighborhood — I recommend this piece in today’s New York Times about the challenges of “fighting the image of the ‘burning’ borough,” as the Times headline puts it.
Not surprisingly, considering its history, the Bronx has a branding problem when it comes to attracting visitors and their cash. Those of us of baby boomer age most likely have three key associations if we hear the words “the Bronx”: “the Bronx Bombers” (the Yankees and Yankee Stadium); the Bronx Zoo; and “Fort Apache, The Bronx” — the 1970s film depicting a scary, crime-and-grime-ridden borough that probably scared off more tourists than King Kong.
And yet, the Bronx does have its share of attractions, something that I wrote… Continue reading
Spirit interior cabin — photo by Spirit Airlines
Interesting piece in today’s New York Times on the marketing approach employed by cut-rate Spirit Airlines. They’ve traded in customer service and comforts for low fares, and are charging extra for everything from rolling carry-on bags ($35-$50) to water ($3 a bottle) and more. Can pay toilets be far behind?
Meanwhile, Spirit’s on-time arrivals record is well below the industry average, there are no onboard movies or Wi-Fi, and seats are crammed in, offering less legroom even than the already legroom-deprived other airlines do. What’s more, the seats don’t recline – which, considering that someone reclining a seat in front of you may end up in your lap in these sardine-can conditions, may be a good thing.
So far the approach seems to be working. Spirit’s profits are growing, stock prices are up, and a fleet of new planes is planned for… Continue reading
New Zealand’s Southern Alps — photo by Clark Norton
A 2010 AARP survey of U.S. baby boomers turning 65 in 2011 caught my eye. According to its findings, those responding picked “travel” more than any other answer when asked what their “major ambition for the next five years” would be. “Travel” topped such categories as “improve health,” “retire,” “improve finances,” “improve housing/home projects,” “enjoy relationships with family and friends” and “relocate.”
Surveys show that boomers want to travel far and wide as well. Australia and New Zealand top wish lists, followed by Europe, and then by North American locations. Asia, Africa, the Antarctic and other exotic spots also attract many boomers.
Boomers are active travelers, willing to spend their money on adventurous, educational and creative forms of travel. Tour agencies, tourism bureaus, resorts and lodges, cruise lines, and other travel companies take heed – if you overlook boomers, you’re… Continue reading
Photo from Viking Ocean Cruises
Viking River Cruises is entering the realm of ocean cruising, and they’re doing it in a bold way, using a similar model to their successful river cruising brand.
Launching its first new ocean-going ship – the Viking Star — in May 2015, Viking will be offering all-inclusive fares that include not just mealtime wine, beer and other drinks but free Internet service and, best of all, free shore excursions.
What’s more, port stops will be lengthier than on other ocean-going lines – averaging around 12 hours per port – and will include several overnights per cruise. To make this possible, itineraries will typically be longer than the average cruise, stretching from nine days up to two weeks or more.
And they’ll do it all for lower fares than the luxury all-inclusive lines charge. The Viking Star will carry a maximum of 928 passengers — considered… Continue reading
Clark hiking near the Jungfrau in Switzerland — photo by Catharine Norton
Baby boomers — those of us born between 1946 and 1964 — control trillions of dollars of America’s disposable income. Many seniors — those who are age 68 and up — are also affluent.
The difference is that we boomers — unlike Depression- and World War II-nurtured seniors — are willing to spend our money. And travel finishes at or near the top of surveys we want to spend it on — in fact, boomers travel more than any other age group.
Overlooking this market is like emptying your wallet and throwing your money into the ocean. Or, you can ride the baby-boomer wave safely — and profitably — into shore. This blog will help show you how. I hope you’ll keep returning to read and comment on the information here.
And don’t forget to download my… Continue reading
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