Cruise

A Prescription For Success

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When an Ontario travel agency joined forces with a British Columbia company specializing in continuing education for the medical profession, it gave a whole new meaning to the term “medical tourism,” reports Montreal editor, Mike Dunbar in this week’s digital edition of Canadian Travel Press.

Oakville’s Uniglobe Adventure House Travel and Vancouver’s Sea Courses, last week announced a merger that will “significantly expand” the range of a product that is currently limited to medical and dental education programs delivered aboard cruise ships.

Veteran retailer Ron Dawick revealed that the Vancouver operation, founded two decades ago by a pair of physicians, will soon be in expansion mode, while his agency plans to offer some of the West Coast elements to medical practitioners in Central Canada.

“We’ll be expanding all facets,” he declared.

In an interview with CTP, Dawick said Sea Courses “started small” with about five shipboard courses in its first year but has expanded to the point where 25 trips were organized last year.

“It’s a growing business with a nice demographic,” attracting groups of doctors ranging in size from 10 to 80 depending on the course specifics but increasing to 30 to 200 when accompanying cruisers are factored in, he explained.

According to Dawick, Sea Courses had been conducting participant polls and identified a need to expand into the river cruising and resort arenas. The principals had the education portion sewn up but were looking for help on the travel management front, he said.

“It’s a natural fit,” added Dawick. “Despite the name, we’re primarily a corporate agency with meeting and conventions experience and an in-house meeting planner partner.

For the full story, check out this week’s digital edition of Canadian Travel Press by clicking here.