The ninth CLIA River Cruise Conference in Amsterdam was highly successful judging by the record attendance of trade partners and suppliers. In 2018 more than 232,300 river cruises were taken by British and Irish passengers, which is a 10% increase on the previous year. This is a ‘must attend’ event for agents who are interested in growing their river cruise sales and the resultant growth in commission income.
The conference comprised a multitude of ship visits, conference sessions at the Mövenpick Hotel Amsterdam City Centre, trade fair and networking opportunities. Travel agent delegates also dined and stayed overnight onboard one of the five river ships in port.
Stuart Perl, Chairman of the CLIA river cruising group and Managing Director of AMA Waterways, said that river cruising really can offer something for all generations. Now there are an even greater range of destinations and itineraries on offer. He also noted the growth in new river cruise ships, with 12 in 2019 and 16 planned for 2020.
Other speakers included Walter Littlejohn, Vice President and Managing Director, Crystal River Cruises; Jane Archer, Travel Journalist; and Ben Nealon, Client Partnerships for Travel, Mail Metro Media.
The five river cruise lines with ships on view were Amadeus River Cruises, CroisiEurope, A-ROSA, Crystal Cruises, and AMA Waterways.
