Original scientific paper

GEOGRAPHICAL EXPANSION AND CONSOLIDATION OF GLOBAL CRUISING

Lorenzo Gui ; Venice International University

Abstract

Modern cruising is a relatively young business started about 40 years ago in the US. Since then major cruise lines have shown a clear tendency toward international expansion thought horizontal and vertical integration of an increasing number of cruise related services. The strategic analysis of lead firm choices can inform about the factors leading to the observed globalization of cruise value chains.
After discussing about the global governance strategies of major industry players, in the last part of the paper it is highlighted how the evolution of cruise suppliers and concessionors is somehow mirroring the one of their principal buyers/concessionaires.
The rise of global suppliers is not limited to the onboard operations. Increasingly this trend of geographical expansion and consolidation is concerning also the provision of onshore and destination oriented cruise services. This fact in part contradicts the traditional claims about a dual structure (incoming SMEs vs. outgoing travel “giants”) characterizing international tourism supply.

Keywords

cruise industry; globalization; , global value chains; governance

Hrčak ID:

62894

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/62894

Publication date:

30.12.2010.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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