Watch producer, Rotary, saw soaring sales in the cruise channel last year and is set to continue the trend in 2014 having launched on board Tallink/Silja cruise liners from December.

 

A company spokesperson says: “In the last year we have experienced a +72.5% increase in our cruise ship business and we expect this to continue to grow. The recent growth in this business is in part down to the new Rotary bestselling Swiss-made skeleton automatic Jura collection and our reversible Rotary Revelation collection.”

 

Rotary has gone on board Norwegian Cruise Line in the Caribbean, but based on Tallink sales so far, the company’s mini-cruises in the in the northern Baltic Sea are set to drive the strongest sales. Thanks to initial success last month Rotary will be on board the Silja Serenade from February in a new luxury shop.

 

The brand believes that ever savvy travel retail consumers are looking for something different – but affordable – which Rotary says perfectly fits with its brand message of ‘affordable luxury’

 

INFLIGHT GAINS

In the airline channel, 2013 was also a record year for Rotary with skeleton models making the top three best-selling watches list on board several airlines including British Airways, Air France, Iberia, Alitalia and various Asian airlines. From 1 February, Rotary will be on board Emirates, the fourth airline partner in the Middle East after Qatar Airways, Saudi Airlines and Oman Air. In the past two years, Rotary has more than quadrupled its airline business. A new airline range will be launched later in the year.

 

At the end of last year Rotary also entered 15 Columbian Emeralds International duty free and airport stores in the Caribbean (in Antigua, St Lucia, Barbados and Grenada). Each store has an island display unit designed for airports and duty free shops to maximise space. The units are set for a wider rollout in airport and border shops globally this year.

 

Finally, Rotary has signed a four-year partnership as the ‘’global official timekeeper’ of Chelsea FC. Commemorating the deal, Rotary has developed two Swiss-made, individually numbered, quartz, chronograph watches showcasing the soccer club’s blue lion crest and sport-led features (see left).

 

* In November last year, Rotary appointed a new Head of International & New Business, Lara Lambert who has previous experience in travel retail with Burberry.