The cruise industry is the most exciting vacation category in the United States and Canada. Its average rate of growth has been far greater than any other category in the travel industry. Currently travel is a $60-Billion industry, still with tremendous upside.
The CruiseOne PR team is able to connect you with relevant industry research, both in terms of the travel industry overall and cruising specifically. Below is an overview of the size of the cruise market according to our valued partner, CLIA (Cruise Line International Association).
For additional research, statistics and other information to help round out your story, click here. We are also able to provide research from our network of 1,000+ agents specifically. To access that information, click here.
CLIA Study:
97% of the cruise market meets the following criteria, which were used to screen respondents for the current study:
Population and study results indicate the following:
Of the target population, 49,608,000 (39% of 127,200,000) have taken a cruise, and more than half of those (55% - 25,840,000) have done so in the past three years.
In fact, the cruise lines themselves see the potential growth in the industry, they plan to add 34 new ships through 2011, representing 82,729 lower berths combined.
Travel agents play a major role in filling these vessels to capacity. A CLIA study shows that cruisers are more frequently influenced by travel agents (12% vs. 5%) than any other travel segment. Four out five (75%) actually book their cruises through a travel agent; which stresses that cruisers and potential cruisers alike need education and guidance to learn the subtle differences between the lines themselves, vessels, and destinations visited. A well-educated, service-minded travel agent can see up to a 60% repeat and referral rate, based on their skills.
In comparison to other types of vacations, cruising holds the highest percentage of participants who express extreme satisfaction (45%). All-inclusive resorts have the second highest satisfaction levels (42%), followed by visiting friends/relatives (40%). This is higher than the rate of extreme satisfaction of land-based packages (29%).
Sources used for this industry overview include CLIA and Business Research & Economic Advisors.