S Puvaneswary, Kuala Lumpur (2010-09-01)

CRUISE consolidator Jebsen Travel & Tours Services and its Jeddah-based partner Majed Travel and Tourism are expanding their Cruise Club brand in the Middle East and South Asia through franchising.

“We hope to make Cruise Club a well-known brand in the Middle East and South Asia,” said Jebsen managing director Lim Chee Tong.

They had 15 franchisee sign-ups at the Arabian Travel Market in May for the following locations: United Arab Emirates, Iran, Kuwait, Turkey, Qatar, Bahrain,  Lebanon, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. 

“Cruising is still very much in its infancy in the Middle East and South Asia,” Lim explained. “The general consumer still believes in the traditional holiday, which is travelling by land or air to a destination, staying in a hotel and going sightseeing.”

Lim aims to develop the cruise business in those markets by training agents and working with the local media to improve consumer awareness.

He added that Cruise Club in the new destinations were not expected to be profitable within the first three years of operations.