The Role of IT in the Distribution of Cruise and Ferry Products. "A comparison of the use and suitability of computerised reservation systems for the cruise and ferry sectors. The case for standardisation of ferry ticketing and the role of the travel agent in a changing distribution environment"

Speech by Mr. Sergio Senesi, President of Cemar Agency Network and Traghettionline, Italy at the Seatrade Convention Genoa.

Thanks to Mr. Grammerstorf for leaving me the floor and good morning to everybody attending this interesting session at Seatrade Med.

Since the number of valuable panelists is great and their names quite remarkable, I won't keep you long, but will rather try to go quickly to the heart of the matter.

In the past two decades, Cemar Agency Network has been building an experience specifically in the passenger business, where we act under several umbrellas: as ship agents, tour operators, port agents, cruise consultants etc.
From our Genoa-base and through a capillary network all over Italy we perform constant full assistance to both the cruise and ferry sectors, propelled by a young and motivated staff.

Don't worry; this is not going to be a promotional 'spot' to marketing our activity and services, as it sometimes happen in other conferences. By means of this short introduction, we just want those who are not acquainted yet with Cemar to know that our involvement in this field is not occasional, I do not have the great presumption to tell something clever today!

It is quite a few years now that our pre-season statistics budgeting the yearly volume of cruise traffic into each Mediterranean port are presented, and from the phone calls we've been receiving from operators eager to get those data, I guess this effort has been quite appreciated by the market!
However, we do not certainly gaze at the crystal ball to make our predictions, but just rely on the collaboration of lines (about 95% of the cruise companies actiing in the Mediterranean normally contribute to our investigation) to gather figures that are consistent with the end of year results to ratify our indications although released in such a large anticipation.
So, no sorcery used; just an accurate method!

When it is time to consider the ferry business, our method approach is not so much different from cruises. We commence our reasoning from the widest available database, however not simply borrowing the existing ones, but building our own tested information system by grasping the various datum at the original source. This knowledge is instrumental to a bigger project.

Two years ago, in proximity of Seatrade Med 2000, we almost surprised the market by introducing "Traghettionline.net", an unprecedented tool for the accomplishment of one of the most demanding duties to cope with by travel agents: the booking of a trip on a ferry. The effort is proportional to the size of the travel shop: the smaller the latter, the larger their job.

To help, especially the small-medium size travel agents, we have conceived a unique and comprehensive system to meet the customer's demand till 48 hours before departure time by simply surfing on Internet. I am honoured to say that, after a test period, since 2001 our innovative IT tool has started working effectively, and in the past two years we've come to a constant updating and upgrading of both the system and the number and kind of info it contains.

Simple to the user, anyway, but not to the project manager.
The complexity of our job derives from the enormous mass of information needed to track the object of the query, especially when the geographical span is the largest possible: simply the world.
Just think about the need to cross itineraries, timetables, departure/arrival ports, available car slots and berths and differentiated type and size of the few hundreds ferries that every day, hour and almost minute sail in the several regions. Finally we have tracked over 200 ferry lines world-wide, and only 45.000 ferries departure just in the Mediterranean during this year.

As from 1st January 2003, our "Traghettionline" will be available for free affiliation to all travel agents codified through a Website, utilising it as a useful research tool free of charge.
It will be therefore possible to sell online and receive the due commission fee with minimum effort since the ticketing issue, the credit management, the warranty on the money transaction as well as the ticket delivery will be totally care of our Call Center.
In fact our sophisticated system can automatically recognise the travel agent's code and to credit its commission fee straight away.

Also as from 1st January 2003 a new release of "Crociereonline", an application to the cruise sector of the same tool, will be available. For the travel agent, this means to enlarge its reach of sale to all companies with a zero-cost investment.
We are so confident about the success of our formula that from this session I launch an open invitation: if anybody wants to become our partner and export our technology abroad, just raise your hand!

However, there are still a lot of grey areas to overcome before our concept is made perfect. As for all multiuser process where a variety of subjects have a role standardisation is the secret for success.

The ticketing issue is still a very delicate process, due to the apparent incompatibility of lines' systems and varied tickets. We presently have connections with 29 ferry lines in the Med; it is quite frustrating to admit that no two of them are similar one another, so that we have to cope with 29 different procedures. This is undoubtedly a loss of time (and an additional cost)
The tariff system is also confusing. There are so many categories, sub-categories and sub-sub-categories of staterooms that the travel agent - not to say the client - often, gets lost.

The same can be said about the "Port Tax" and "Reservation Fees" grids; two items that are often not included in the initial price - finally because there is no commission fee to the benefit of the seller - but that, however, contribute to determine the final fare level. Such a use is certainly misleading to the final user, the customer, who always gets bitterly surprised when they read the very small lines at the foot of the price leaflets (buy only those who wear magnifying spectacles!).

Last but not least - September 11 was just ... yesterday - security is paramount.
As it is now, anybody can jump on a ferry by just bringing a ticket (and not always having to show it when the access door is so crowded) without having to show his ID. Have you ever tried to put a car plate in the ticket and then get onto the garage with a totally different one?
And who knows how many 'Mr. John Smith' - I beg your pardon, actually I do hope there is nobody with such a name in the hall - do normally take the ferry every day and where!!!
We must stress this absolute urgency of identity certification at the travel agents' since booking time, in particular for extra-EU destinations, where more accurate and detailed check are required.

But the list of discrepancies in the present ferry business would be much longer, and I am no trouble-shooter.
After all, I've seen that I lied a little when I said " I won't be long"; at least I hope I have not bothered you with my speech.
Many many thanks for your patient attention.

Participants:
ROBERTO FORTI, I.T.D. Director, T.R.I.S .Traghetti Isole Sarde Srl
WILLIAM GIBBONS, Director, Passenger Shipping Association
PHILIP MARTIN, Director, Ferry Business Unit, Amadeus S.A.S.
MICHAEL MULLER, Assistant Director, Passenger Services, International Air Transport Association (IATA)
ANDERS RUNDBERG, General Manager Transportation, Anite Travel Systems
SERGIO SENESI, President, CEMAR Agency Network
MARGHERITA TONAN, Vice President, Information Technology, Costa Crociere SpA

Moderator:
HELGE GRAMMERSTORF, Managing Director, SeaConsult

(Fonte: Cemar Agency Network)