Cruise sails to Harvard with student conference

Cruise industry leaders/entrepreneurs and other luminaries feature in this month's 'The Experience Economy Conference' in Boston, organized by the Hospitality & Travel Club, a student club at Harvard Business School.

Innovating, investing, luxury and food

The Nov. 16 event, with panels dedicated to innovating, investing, luxury and food, is open to students of all schools and industry professionals. Tickets are on sale now.

Cruise industry speakers include Douglas Prothero, CEO, Lucida Luxury Maritime and founder and former CEO, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, and Per Bjørnsen, CEO, V.Ships Leisure.

In the context of the experience economy theme, cruising brings tremendous value, Bjørnsen told Seatrade Cruise News, providing the chance to visit many destinations in a variety of ways — from big ships and family-oriented experiences to 'new products beyond anything in luxury you can find on land' such as Four Seasons Yachts, Orient Express and The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection.

Plus, Bjørnsen pointed to how cruising gives the opportunity to interact with other travelers and the crew, providing a deeper level of experience than a hotel stay.  

Speakers from Blue Origin, KSL Capital Partners and more

Among the other speakers are Sarah Phelps, director, astronaut & customer experience at Blue Origin, and Steven Siegel, partner & COO, KSL Capital Partners, whose wide portfolio of travel and leisure businesses has included Orion Expedition Cruises.

Further speakers are key figures and entrepreneurs from Marriott International, Restaurant Brands International, Explora (focused on 'the most remote corners of South America'), O:live Hotel Corp. (Puerto Rico boutique hotels), Casamata (hospitality projects reflecting Mexican heritage), Kent Hospitality Group ('unforgettable culinary experiences'), Museum of Ice Cream and Figure 8 (a creator of 'culture-shifting experiences') and Black Tomato ('creators of remarkable travel experiences').

Hospitality & Travel Club leaders, from left, CFO Michael Baldyga and Co-Presidents Beatriz Gorostiaga Zubizarreta and Alexander Iley PHOTO: HOSPITALITY & TRAVEL CLUB

Organizers

'The Experience Economy Conference' is designed by the Hospitality & Travel Club, a Harvard Business School student club whose co-president, Alex Iley — an MBA candidate set to graduate in May 2025 — has cruise industry experience. He headed business development at V.Ships Leisure during a time of significant growth alongside CEO Bjørnsen, drawing such clients as China start-up Piano Land, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and Azamara Cruises and managing the Genting Hong Kong ships (including those of Crystal Cruises) during that company's transition.

Over this past summer, as part of his MBA work, Iley was involved with the marketing - consumer insights team at Royal Caribbean Group in Miami.

The Hospitality & Travel Club is rebuilding its program of regular conferences following the COVID era.

'It's a huge team effort, restarting the conference and bringing an amazing lineup of speakers,' Iley said. He welcomed students and industry professionals to this opportunity to expand their knowledge and network.

Details/tickets

'The Experience Economy' is scheduled for 1 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Nov. 16 at Harvard Business School's Klarman Hall, Soldiers Field Road, Boston.

The conference website is here: https://www.htchbsclub.com/experiences.

Tickets are available through Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-experience-economy-conference-by-the-hospitality-travel-club-tickets-1021829939857?aff=STCN.

Seatrade Cruise News will be reporting.