11 Dec 2014
PLYMOUTH, MINN. - Cruise Holidays International released its authoritative 2015 Cruise Trends report. While the Caribbean continues to lead – due, in part, to an ever-expanding selection of closer-to-home cruise ports that appeal to a wide range of travelers – demand for cruises in two other far-flung markets, Europe and China, continues to grow both for deep water and river cruising. The biggest gains among European river cruise destinations have been charted for Passau, Germany, and Lyon, France, while the Top 5 list for river cruises outside of Europe includes destinations in China, Vietnam and Myanmar. The Cruise Holidays Cruise Trends report is an annual, in-depth look at actual cruise bookings made for the year ahead by its network of more than 1,300 cruise-focused travel agents across the United States and Canada.
"It's no surprise that the Caribbean maintains a dominant presence in cruising, thanks to its year-round pleasant weather, a plentiful inventory of cruise ships, affordability, and its geographical convenience," said Kevin Weisner, Senior Vice President of Sales for Vacation.com, North America's largest travel agency marketing organization, of which Cruise Holidays is a part. "But what's especially attractive to a growing number of travelers is how the cruise industry is adapting to their desires to visit Europe, be it coastal or inland. Both deep water and river cruising have emerged as complementary – not competing – forces in travel," said Weisner. Indeed, some traditional open water cruise lines are packaging their itineraries with river cruise trips.
sourced:traveldailynews.asia