There’s something that’s goin’ round, that’s shutting our borders down
It’s a bad time for our sick and our old
CNN’s nightly lullaby, tells of hundreds more that’ve died
I shut off the TV and think all alone, how long can this go on? – Jeff Orson, Pray
Welcome to In Crisis – Travel Retail Voices, our Podcast series in which we speak to travel retail executives around the world about how COVID-19 is affecting their lives and businesses.
In this episode we hear the view from the maritime retail market. We speak to Lisa Bauer (left), President and CEO of Miami-based global cruise concessionaire Starboard Cruise Services. In its 60 years the company has been through many challenges, but few as daunting as this one.
Lisa reflects on how daily life and work life have changed, and talks about her pride in Starboard’s onboard and shore-based teams, who have demonstrated an “amazing solidarity and resilience” even in the most trying of circumstances.
Communication and transparency are critical features of managing a business through the crisis, she says, and she salutes the importance of being part of a wider group – LVMH – to share best practice and align corporately with other Maisons.
[Click on the icon to hear Lisa Bauer talk to Dermot Davitt]
With Starboard’s Shanghai and Hong Kong-based teams already back in their offices, the company is backing China and the wider Asian market to bounce back first, Lisa says.
She also talks about how the sector can emerge smarter and better from crisis, and about how it must work to regain the trust of customers, noting that it will be a challenge to entice new guests to cruise, at least in the immediate aftermath of COVID-19.
Lisa also addresses the question of whether the turbulence in the market today might prompt a rethink around cruise industry relationships tomorrow. She talks about the shared sense of purpose in the trade, and says that a spirit of innovation and focus on experience will be more important than ever for the cruise retail proposition once the crisis passes.
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Previously on In Crisis – Travel Retail Voices
April 17: Dan Cappell, Ontario International Airport
April 13: Gautom Menon, Wild Tiger Beverages
April 13: Sarah Branquinho, Duty Free World Council
April 10: Sinead el Sibai, Dubai Duty Free
April 7: Jonathan Holland of Jonathan Holland & Associates, Singapore.
April 7: Rob Wigington, Executive Director at the Airport Restaurant & Retail Association, US.
April 7: José Luis Donagaray and Inés Sisto Patron, ASUTIL
April 5: Stewart Dryburgh, Nestlé International Travel Retail,
April 4: Pier Giuseppe Torresani, Masi; and Steve Corrigan, long-time duty free drinks executive
April 2: Founder of Duty Free Global, Barry Geoghegan
April 1: Vice President of Miami-based Essence Corp, Patricia Bona.
29 March: William Grant & Sons President Asia Pacific Doug Bagley
29 March: PMA Canada National Director – Duty Free Jeff Orson
27 March: Paul & Shark Global Travel Retail Director Catherine Bonelli
26 March: King Power Traveler President Rakhita Jayawardena
25 March: Public health expert Dr. David Heymann
24 March: King Power Group (Hong Kong) Group Chief Executive Officer Sunil Tuli
22 March: The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie
21 March: China Duty Free Group President Charles Chen
20 March: Dubai Duty Free Executive Vice Chairman & CEO Colm McLoughlin
