Carnival UK is planning to educate UK agents in the use of Twitter, Facebook and Youtube after seeing “social networking agents” in North America take considerable market share from their peers.
Carnival Corporation chairman and chief executive Micky Arison said: “Agents have got to understand the internet. It’s not an option anymore. They have got to use it to communicate to their customers – that’s where the public is going, so they have to be in that space.
“Ten years ago, people would go to the Sunday travel sections or a travel agent. Now they can get information and recommendations on the web so what agents need to do is add service. How many are tweeting out great deals as soon as they come out? If they don’t adjust to using Customer Relationship Management tools and social networking, they are going to struggle to survive.
Carnival UK chief executive David Dingle confirmed Complete Cruise Solution would develop a programme to help agents use social networking sites, that could include online learning and workshops. He added that P&O Cruises managing director Carol Marlow was building a Facebook marketing plan for the line.