New CLIA UK & Ireland report finds that Central and Western Europe were the most popular destinations
By
Rebecca Gibson |
The number of UK travellers taking a river cruise rose by 21% to reach a record 210,400 passengers in 2017, according to a new report published by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) UK & Ireland.
CLIA’s UK River Cruise Review 2017 revealed that passenger numbers rose by more than a fifth from 2016, while total bed nights were up by 24% from the same year. This growth was largely driven by European river cruises, which accounted for almost 90% of bookings in 2017.
Almost two thirds of British cruisers opted for river cruise itineraries in Central and Western Europe (primarily on the Rhine and Danube), but growth was highest on the Russian waterways and the Douro river on the Iberian Peninsula.
Passengers opting for river cruises outside of Europe mainly headed for the Mekong in Southeast Asia, the Nile in Egypt and the Irrawaddy in Myanamar.
“With continued investment and innovation in this sector, and with new events and initiatives to engage the travel agent community, the growth in river cruising continues to be an important part of the overall cruise industry,” said Andy Harmer, senior vice president of membership and director of CLIA UK & Ireland.