CLIA releases Travel Agent Cruise Industry Outlook Report

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) released today the first Travel Agent Cruise Industry Outlook Report of 2017, uncovering cruise travel trends and key insights from within the travel agent industry.

The report is part of an ongoing research study from CLIA intended to forecast cruise industry trends among travel agents. This installment of the Travel Agent Cruise Industry Outlook found that travel agents continue to experience positive sales growth. Some key trends contributing to this growth include the rise of multigenerational cruise travel, a high demand for shorter duration cruises, and travellers looking for all-inclusive options.

The report found that cruise travel agent sales continue to increase, with 77 per cent of cruise travel agents indicating that their sales volume is better than last year. Nearly three quarters (74 per cent), meanwhile, of agents say that they expect to experience an increase in customer spending in 2017, especially when it comes to cost of excursions.

The cruise industry continues to grow across all sectors, with nearly half (47 per cent) of travel agents reporting the highest customer satisfaction with ocean cruises over all-inclusive resors (21 per cent) and house or condo rentals (seven per cent). River cruises also continue to garner popularity, as agents report clients value smaller ships, less structure, and a variety of river cruise amenities.

“Travel agents have their fingers on the pulse of what is happening in the cruise industry. By tapping into insights through the Travel Agent Cruise Industry Outlook report, the industry is able to forecast upcoming travel and traveler behavior trends and tailor business strategies accordingly,” said Cindy D’Aoust, president and CEO, CLIA.

The full report is available at http://www.cruising.org/TA-Outlook. Travel professionals in the cruise industry can have their voice heard by joining the CLIA Travel Agent Research Panel; agents can join by emailing cliaresearchpanel@cruising.org.