Inchcape Shipping Services Global VP Cruise Solutions Grant Holmes says there is broad industry acceptance of sustainability as an aspiration but the challenge is implementing it. With unrivalled cruise expertise supported by the planet’s largest port agency network, Inchcape can help the industry change for the better. Had it not been for my intense desire to travel, I may well have ended up as shipyard engineer. As a youngster I completed an apprenticeship in shipbuilding at HMS Dockyard in Portsmouth but chose instead a career in leisure and tourism. I started out as a tourist rep in Spain and by 1990 was Area Manager for the Caribbean gateway of a leading UK tour operator. Being appointed Director of Operations for First Choice Cruises from its inception in 1999 provided my first taste of cruise, and I haven’t looked back. I was later recruited by Festival Cruises as Director of global shore excursions, destination services, tour operations and on-board revenue. Part of my job was innovating new cruising concepts, which caused me to think deeply about cruise operations from every angle. I set up my own company, Progress International, in 2006, providing consultancy to 12 cruise lines and training services at all personnel levels for major cruise brands, governments and port authorities. I also delivered strategic advice for multiple emerging destinations including in Venezuela, Colombia, Cyprus, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. My interest in the industry’s long-term sustainability was cemented during these years. Global portfolioIt is also the cornerstone of my…
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