NIGEL THOMPSON MARJORIE YUE Flow getters
Holidaymakers are going with the flow and getting on board river cruises in record numbers. Industry association CLIA UK & Ireland this week released its latest findings in the UK River Cruise Review 2017 – and it’s clear the waterways of Europe and beyond are floating Brits’ boats.
Passenger numbers are up more than one-fifth (21 per cent) year on year overall, with 210,400 heading up the gangway of a river cruise ship or boat in 2017, compared with 174,400 in 2016 and passing the 200,000 mark for the first time.
European sailings account for almost 90 per cent of total UK bookings and they were the driving force behind the growth, with the Rhine (+17 per cent) and Danube (+20 per cent) leading the way.
However, two specific destinations in Europe showed exceptional expansion - sailings on the Douro in northern Portugal and Spain were up a whopping 85 per cent, while the Russian waterways such as the Volga, Neva and Svir saw a 70 per cent increase.
Outside the continent, the Nile continued its recovery after a lean period following Egypt’s political and security challenges, rising 14 per cent. Further afield, the hotspots were the Mekong in Cambodia and Vietnam (+8 per cent) and the Ganges and Brahmaputra in India (+27.5 per cent).
The growth on rivers is illustrated by new ships from the cruise operators, with 11 launched in 2017, 10 more arriving this year and eight due to be delivered next year.
Andy Harmer, CLIA UK & Ireland director, said: “With continued investment and innovation in this sector...the growth in river cruising continues to be an important part of the overall cruise industry.”
While river cruising is booming, it’s still a relative drop in the ocean compared to cruises at sea, where a record UK 1,971,000 passengers travelled in 2017, up 4.3 per cent annually. The two million barrier is tipped to be broken this year. silkroadadventures.com. sovereign.com.
HJ Hall HJ747 Flysafe flight socks, £11, hj.co.uk
Compression socks on long-haul flights are a smart idea as they can help to prevent circulatory problems such as deep vein thrombosis. Available in sizes three to 12 and in grey, black, ecru and navy.