Page 16 - North American & Caribbean Cruise Traveller

The very nature of the Caribbean region, i.e. many small islands, each with a unique cultural offering, also presents the opportunity to differentiate from the wider Duty Tax Free offering with non-typical or exclusive products alongside those the shopper associates with the channel. This will not only differentiate stores from others the traveller is likely to encounter on their trip, but also provide unique offerings and drive overall cruise satisfaction through numerous, differentiated shopping opportunities.
Therefore, whilst the dominance of the North American & Caribbean cruise market in terms of global traveller capacity has come under some pressure in recent years amid unprecedented growth in the Asian market, it continues to offer significant potential to both brands and retailers alike.
This is a marketplace with over 12 million annual bed days consisting of passengers ranking on-board shopping as a key on-board amenity. In the CLIA’s recent global cruise market outlook, it was stated that ‘Caribbean is Queen’ when referring to the region within the global cruise market. This statement should also be considered the case by retail operators and brands alike when considering global cruise market strategies.
In contrast to on-board stores, on-land port retailers must provide an offering which meets the needs of various traveller types in terms of both product offering and available price points
Industry Insider:
North American & Caribbean Cruise Duty & Tax Free Retail 2015
‘Los Azulejos Premium Tequila at Dufry’s Cozumel (Mexico) Duty & Tax Free Port Store
Location specific offerings should also be considered a key means of differentiation for on-land retailers
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