TUI River Cruises – product development

Objective – to lead the development of a new product, entering into a totally new market for TUI.

My role – I was approached as an independent consultant to help TUI understand the river cruise market, develop a differentiated customer proposition and lead the design of the concept – taking the product from conception to on-sale launch. 

Solution – My approach was to immerse myself into the river cruise market, developing a clear understanding of the market place, customer profile and competitor offerings. Using this research we were able to identify our target customers and positioning.

I was then able to define customer needs, highlight opportunities for differentiation and develop a clear customer proposition through extensive market research (partnering with Sparkler research agency).

The proposition and requirements were then developed into a creative brief for design agency (20.20) and a holistic concept, across the full ship was developed with specific attention to cabins and public spaces to make these work harder for us.

Outcome – The concept was handed back to TUI in December 2018 and three ships launched for sale in April 2019. Their first sailings are due in Spring 2020 following extensive refits which will be managed by TUI.