Page 104 - SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2016

YOU CUSTOMERS 105
Interpreting changing demands
We keep the promise made to the increasing popularity of cruising perceived
customer by meeting and exceeding their as the most enjoyable form of vacation
expectations of a very special kind of experience and a great way to visit exotic
vacation. This is also one of Costa’s key places. A number of new options were
strategic objectives. In turn, by delivering introduced in 2016. The Company added
exceptional experiences for guests we two new Mediterranean itineraries (Greek
build trust and enhance our reputation, Islands - Sardinia & Balearic Islands)
this being essential for our relational capital targeting younger cruisers. Further afi eld,
and our long-term business development. we opened a new route in the Indian Ocean
Accordingly, at every stage of design and taking in India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
delivery of the product, the Company A fi rst for the cruise industry and package
pursues solutions that will respond to the holidays generally, this itinerary off ers the
demands of our customer base clearly, novelty of longer overnight stays allowing
transparently and eff ectively. guests to really get to know each port of
call and go on more than one shore tour
Introduction of new cruise routes in each destination. Another particularly
exclusive innovation is the stopover at Sir
A corollary of the massive growth in Bani Yas, a stunningly beautiful natural
demand for cruising in recent years is paradise with private beaches, located off
the opening of new routes sailing to new the southwest coast of Abu Dhabi.
destinations in response to the need for Feedback from guests was used in the
continuous product innovation and to the reporting period to review the tour program
and the shore experience as a whole. called Fun & Discovery without stress.
A specifi c survey was conducted on a The evolution of Costa Tours entailed not
sample of 2000 passengers, enabling us only the launch of new services and the
to collect suggestions and have a fuller enhancement of existing ones off ered
understanding of changing perceptions by local partners at our destinations, but
and expectations of one of the key parts also shoreside reorganization with the
of any cruise holiday. The resulting action creation of new positions: the Corporate
plan focused primarily on the authenticity Destination Manager with responsibility
of the shore experience and catering to for aligning the procedures with the new
the demand for visits to places off the approach (some 2200 tour descriptions
beaten track taking people into the heart rewritten to make them more subjective)
of a destination. Key aspects include: and the group tour expert, off ering travel
priority disembarkation and fast track agencies booking groups on board Costa
entry privileges at museums and other ships specifi c consultancy on the most
tourist attractions; guaranteed quality suitable excursions, with organization
with qualifi ed operators and multilingual of tours and the creation of special
guides; full assistance and complete safety; personalized programs. This type of
guaranteed price and rescheduling of service enhances the appeal of our cruises
excursions in the event of changes to the for consumers and therefore gives the
itinerary. Costa Cruises’ main action in Company and its agencies a competitive
response to the survey fi ndings was the edge and an additional opportunity for
introduction of a new excursion program business.