80% Travel Agents Foresee an Increase in Cruise Travel

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has released its most recent Travel Agent Cruise Industry Outlook Report.

This report looks at travel trends from the perspective of a travel agent. It is part of an ongoing research study from CLIA that intends to forecast cruise industry trends.

One of the most prominent findings was that over 80% of travel agents feel that their cruise volume has risen in 2017 and about three-quarters state that their clients are spending more this year on cruise tourism.

This study has also discovered that Alaska is presently witnessing the maximum growth (51%), followed by Caribbean / Bermuda / Mexico (42%) and then Canada / New England (31%).

Staying closer to home might impact the decision of the travellers, as per a few agents.

Value and service are the most significant factors in driving cruise guest satisfaction as believed by some travel agents. Nearly all customers (98), state that the service is ‘extremely' important in terms of their guest satisfaction and 96% report the same about value.

These factors are followed by comfort (94%), and amenities/ activities and destination (90%). The other factors that are much less important but still important, are price transparency (83%), return of experience (81%), culinary options (80%), and security (79%).

Entertainment (67%) and enrichment opportunities (47%) had scored the lowest.

But they continue to offer value for some travellers. Additionally about 62% of travel agents feel that their clients are becoming more eager in expedition of adventure travel than in the past few years.