Cruise Business Development ― Safety, Product Design and Human Capital

This book addresses innovation management and product development in the cruise tourism industry. It explains how experience management has evolved from a strictly company-level, product- or service-focused tactical task to an industry-wide strategic challenge, and analyses the role of intangible reputational aspects of cruise experiences, as well as peripheral components and stakeholders, as increasingly important factors for customer acquisition and retention. Safety and risk issues are a central theme, as well as the cruise sector’s environmental and socio-economic impacts. Lastly, the book considers the increasing size of cruise vessels and the accompanying standardisation of facilities and itineraries, in conjunction with the hybridisation of cruise passengers in connection with expanding the competitive boundaries and intensity of competition in the cruise sector. The book approaches these issues as more than a mere public relations campaign, recognising the fact that they have since become the very essence of strategic cruise business development.

Prof. Dr. Alexis Papathanassis studied at the University of Bath and the London School of Economics (UK). He completed his PhD in Economic Sciences at the Leibniz University (Hanover) in Germany. Prior to joining fulltime academia, Alexis pursued a career at TUI. Upon his departure from the group as a business development manager with TUI Infotec, Alexis had already participated and successfully led various systems integration projects in six TUI subsidiaries around Europe. Since 2005, Alexis Papathanassis is a Professor for Cruise Management and e-Tourism at the Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences. He currently acts as: Dean of the Faculty of Business Management & Services, Co-Director of the Institute for Maritime Tourism and Chairman of the Cruise Research Society. He is also visiting Professor at the Bremen University of Applied Sciences and the Russian Academy of Foreign Trade, and a member of the German Tourism Research Society. He also works regularly as a consultant for a number of tour operators and cruise companies. Alexis’ publication activity mainly focuses on the cruise sector and comprises over 60 contributions in textbooks, peer-reviewed scientific journals and conferences