Figures released by the CLIA show that a record 1,789,000 passengers from the UK and Ireland took an ocean cruise in 2015, a 9 percent rise year on year and the highest increase in seven years.
UK and Ireland, which saw 145,000 more passengers take a cruise in 2015, also has the highest growth rate out of all the major European countries and the size of the market has grown by two-thirds (67 per cent) in the 10 years since 2005.
The number of Europeans taking an ocean cruise holiday has also grown – since 2008, the market has increased by 49 percent, proving both the cruise industry’s resilience to economic downturns and the value provided by a cruise holiday. This amounts to a 6% average annual growth rate over the past seven years. In fact, according to industry research, over the ten years from 2004 to 2014, global cruse holidays have grown faster in popularity than global land-based holidays by a 20 per cent margin.
A cruise in the Mediterranean remained the most popular holiday choice for Brits, accounting for 672,000 passengers although the Atlantic Islands (Canaries and Madeira) had the best ever year with a record 188,000 passengers. Meanwhile the Caribbean reclaimed more passengers after a three-year lull and experienced an increase of 15%, the highest since 2011.
The number of UK passengers starting their cruise at home rather than overseas grew strongly in 2015 with UK cruise departures now accounting for 47% of the market (840,000 passengers in 2015). It was another successful year for British ports overall; in total over one million UK and international passengers visited a British port during a cruise, a figure that has more than doubled in six years.
This growth comes at a time of sustained investment by the cruise industry. This year and next year alone will see 15 CLIA member line ocean cruise ships launched worth more than $10 billion.
CLIA UK and Ireland Director Andy Harmer commented: “The past year was an impressive one for the UK and Ireland cruise industry. The increase in passenger figures bears testament to the diversity that cruising offers to today’s holidaymakers. The cruise industry’s continued confidence in the UK market is clearly demonstrated by an increasing number of ships that will sail from British ports in the coming years.”
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