“Cruising is the new cool” - CLIA

A NEW report from Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has highlighted strong growth in cruise demand from millennial travellers, as part of an overall uplift in the industry in the USA where 79% of travel agents say their cruise bookings are up.

CLIA polled more than 1,300 agencies across America to compile its latest Travel Agency

Cruise Outlook study, with just 8% of respondents saying their cruise sales have declined year-on-year.

Three quarters of those polled also noted their customers were spending more on cruises this year, as well as adding on more land-based excursions and preand post-cruise experiences.

Key trends highlighted include growth in multi-generational and family cruises, as well as strong interest in experiencing the latest “mega-ships” as they launch. When it comes to destinations, American cruisers are very interested in Alaska, with 62% of US agents saying more clients are booking voyages to the state.

There was a 41% increase in interest in cruising to the Caribbean, followed by Europe and Canada (tied at 36%), and then Hawaii (32%), Panama (29%), Northern Europe (29%) and Australia/NZ (28%).

The research also noted strong interest in river cruising, with three-quarters of respondents reporting increases in bookings.

The report is available online at www.cruising.org.