
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR ...................................................................... 3
KEY FINDINGS ................................................................................ 4
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................... 6
METHODOLOGY ............................................................................... 7
TRENDS IN RIVER CRUISE SEGMENT ............................................................. 10
ADVISOR DEMOGRAPHICS ..................................................................... 31
TRAINING NEEDS ............................................................................. 38
AFFILIATION MATTERS......................................................................... 40
CONCLUSION ................................................................................ 43
TABLE OF CHARTS
1: Do You Sell River Cruises...................................................................... 10
2: Average Length of River Cruises ................................................................ 11
3: Top Destinations Sold for River Cruises .......................................................... 12
4: Top European Destinations Sold for River Cruises .................................................. 13
5: Key Motivators for Taking a River Cruise Vacation................................................... 14
6: Client Travel Preferences for Taking a River Cruise Vacation........................................... 15
7: Top Influencers for Taking a River Cruise Vacation .................................................. 16
8: Factors Determining Clients’ Satisfaction for a River Cruise Vacation .................................... 17
9: River Cruise Sales: Past Performance & Outlook by Client Segments ................................... 22
10: River Cruise: Products Booked................................................................. 23
11: Client Budget for River Cruise Vacation .......................................................... 24
12: Lead Generation Channels for Advisors .......................................................... 25
13: Modes of Communication Used by Advisors ...................................................... 26
14: Messaging Apps Used by Advisors ............................................................. 27
15: Challenges Faced in Selling River Cruise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
16: Top Selling River Cruise Line Brands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
17: Supplier Support to Enable Higher River Cruise Sales ............................................... 30
18: Business Classification ....................................................................... 31
19: Agency/Advisor Position...................................................................... 32
20: Agency/Advisor Annual Gross Sales ($), 2019 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
21: Years of Travel Sales Experience ............................................................... 36
22: Annual Gross Sales by Business Type, Years in Business and Advisor Age .............................. 37
23: Advisor Training: Preference by Formats ........................................................ 38
24: Advisor Training: Preferred Training Programs ..................................................... 39
25a: Trade Association Affiliation, U.S. Advisors ...................................................... 40
25b: Trade Association Affiliation, Canadian Advisors .................................................. 40
26a: Agency/Advisor Affiliation by Consortia & Host Agency Brand: U.S. .................................. 41
26b: Agency/Advisor Affiliation by Consortia & Host Agency Brand: Canada ................................ 41
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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