Focus on first-time cruisers, Clia boss urges agents
Ilaria Grasso MacolaNearly three-quarters of people who have never set foot on a cruise ship are open to the idea of cruising, creating huge potential – Clia has said – for agents to capitalise on first-time cruise clients.
It comes as the UK cruise sector is reporting a post-pandemic boom, with passenger levels topping one million between January and June 2023 – a 50% increase on 2019 levels.
Meanwhile, worldwide, 31.5 million people are expected to go on a cruise this year, with numbers going up to 39.5 million by 2027.
According to Clia managing director Andy Harmer, agents can get more people to book a cruise by offering them a similar proposition to their usual land holiday.
“The way to reach those 9/10 customers is think about the types of land-based holiday they do and switch them across [to cruise],” Harmer said during the Advantage Travel Partnership’s annual cruise conference in Paris.
“[Those who choose] resort-style hotels, swap them over to resort-style ships or [those who choose] boutique hotels, switch them over to a boutique ship.”
Overall, the industry is ripe with opportunities for agents as cruise lines are set to invest $44 billion in new ships over the next five years.
“As cruise lines add ships it means they can add new itineraries, ports of calls and experiences,” he said. “And that again means that we can appeal to a broader spectrum of customers.”
The trade is also supported by cruise lines providing “the support, the training and the opportunities to visit ships”.
“As travel agents, you are better supported by the cruise lines than you are in any other sector of the travel industry,” Harmer said. “Cruise lines are really focused on growing their business through the trade and that benefits all of us.”
Sign up for weekday travel news and analysis straight to your inbox
Ilaria Grasso Macola
Supplier Directory
Find contacts for 260+ travel suppliers. Type name, company or destination.
Editor's pick
Clients with kids? Consider Disney’s Encanto countryPARTNER CONTENT
Recommended For You
Latest travel jobs
Self-employed Holiday Sales Consultants
Junior Africa Sales Consultant
Travel Consultant - Barrhead, Newtownabbey
Competitions
Upcoming events
Place of registration: England and Wales.
Company number 08723341.
Registered address: 6th Floor, 2 London Wall Place, London EC2Y 5AU
