Bachelor Thesis from the year 2009 in the subject Tourism, Stralsund University of Applied Sciences, language: English, abstract: There is no doubt that international tourism expanded significantly in the last decade. Especially the cruise industry did an extraordinary performance with its two digit growth rates and investments in billions range. The tourism industry is the so called 'leading economy' of the 21st century and the cruise industry is one of the master performers within the tourism industry. The 'big three players' (Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean Cruises and Star Cruises Group) made in 2005 over $ 22billion in revenues and profits more than $ 3billion. How could the german cruise