Page 31 - European Cruise Traveller Duty & Tax Free Retail

3.1.2 ASPECTS RESEARCHED
Our findings show that the most researched aspects of the cruise among European cruise travellers are the locations visited (higher among those travelling in the Mediterranean), the rooms or cabin styles (significantly higher among British travellers), the ship style and size (significantly higher among German travellers), and the excursions available during the trip (significantly higher among German travellers but also more prominent among those travelling in the Nordic region).
In terms of on-board shopping, a much lower proportion of European cruise travellers research the on-board retail offer prior to their trip. However, as we have found both from our research into the European cruise sector and our research into the North American & Caribbean and Asian regions, fairly low coverage of Duty & Tax Free shopping on cruise liner websites, service brochures, and other sources is very often the case. This therefore partially explains the much lower interest seen in this aspect of the cruise offering prior to travel.
Cruise line operators should look to incorporate areas of their websites dedicated to the shopping available on-board the cruise to ensure travellers build in shopping expenditure into pre-trip budgets, alongside other aspects of the trip, such as excursions. This could be further supported through trip or cruise liner specific mobile phone apps or website links, to communicate on-board shopping opportunities, such as on-board shopping events, promotional activity and Travel Retail exclusives in the build up to the cruise.
ASPECTS OF THE TRIP RESEARCHED
Base: Trip researchers (683)
Industry Insider:
European Cruise Duty & Tax Free Retail 2016
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