The world’s cruise lines will carry an estimated 24 million passengers in 2016, a new report has predicted.
In its ‘2016 State of the Cruise Industry Outlook’, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) revealed that the industry is set to continuing growing at a record pace.
The 2016 passenger total would mark a 73% increase in the last decade, compared to the 15m passengers who took a cruise holiday in 2006. In 1980, when CLIA began tracking passengers, just 1.4m people took a cruise.
The CLIA report also revealed that cruise lines are scheduled to launch 27 new ships in 2016, including ocean, river and “specialty” vessels, representing a total investment of more than US$6.5 billion. In 2015 there were a total of 471 cruise ships in operation, but this global fleet is expected to increase to almost 500 vessels next year.
“In an effort to make cruises the best overall holiday experience available, the industry is continuing to evolve to ensure there truly is a cruise for every travel style and budget.” said Cindy D’Aoust, CLIA’s acting CEO. “By creating unique ships, new experiences and access to destinations around the world, the evolution, appeal and value of cruise travel continues to drive the overall growth of the industry.”
CLIA also revealed its list of key industry trends for 2016, including the rise of river cruises, an increase in onboard Wi-Fi and connectivity options, more partnerships with brands from other sectors, and the rising trend of “voluntourism” cruises.
CLIA also highlighted the rise of cruising in Asia Pacific. “Five years ago”, it stated, “cruise travel was almost unheard of in Asia. Today, the region is the fastest growing in the cruise industry.”
Between 2012 and 2014, Asian passenger volumes grew from 775,000 to nearly 1.4m passengers, a 34% annual growth rate. And in Australia, passenger numbers have grown more than six-fold in the last 10 years, reaching the milestone of one million passengers for the first time in 2015.
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