LETTER FROM THE EDITOR...................................................................... 5
KEY FINDINGS ................................................................................ 6
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................... 8
METHODOLOGY ............................................................................... 9
TRENDS IN RIVER CRUISE 2024 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
TRAINING NEEDS............................................................................. 41
ADVISOR’S PROFILE .......................................................................... 43
AFFILIATION MATTERS ........................................................................ 47
CONCLUSION ............................................................................... 50
TABLE OF CHARTS
1. Do you sell river cruises? Share (%) .......................................................... 12
2. Average length of river cruise, Share (%) ...................................................... 13
3. Top destinations sold for river cruises ........................................................ 14
4. Top European destinations sold for river cruises ................................................ 15
5. Seasonality in river cruise bookings .......................................................... 18
6. Key motivators for taking a river cruise vacation ................................................ 19
7. Clients’ travel preferences for taking a river cruise vacation....................................... 20
8. Top influencers for taking a river cruise vacation ............................................... 21
9. Factors determining clients’ satisfaction for a river cruise vacation................................. 24
10. River cruise sales: Past performance & Outlook by client segments ................................ 25
11. River cruise: products booked ............................................................... 26
12. Statements representing river cruise clients (%) ................................................ 27
13. Clients’ budget for river cruise vacations, Share (%) ............................................. 28
14. Frequency of upselling a follow-up river cruise, Share (%) ........................................ 29
15. Average spend (per person per day) for river cruises, Share (%) ................................... 32
16. Challenges faced in selling river cruise ........................................................ 33
17. Lead generation channels for advisors ........................................................ 34
18. Modes of communication used by advisors .................................................... 35
19. Messaging apps used by advisors ............................................................ 38
20. Top selling river cruise line brands, 2024 (%) ................................................... 39
21. Supplier support to enable higher river cruise sales ............................................. 40
22. Advisor training: Preference by formats ....................................................... 41
23. Advisor training: Preferred training programs .................................................. 42
24. Business classification, Share (%) ............................................................ 43
25. Agency/advisor position, Share (%)........................................................... 43
26. Annual gross sales by business type, years in business & advisor age, Share (%) .................... 44
27. Anticipated change in annual gross sales, 2024 vs. 2023, Share (%) ................................ 45
28. Years of travel sales experience, Share (%) .................................................... 46
29. Trade association affiliation, U.S. advisors (%) ................................................. 47
30. Trade association affiliation, Canadian advisors (%) ............................................. 47
31. Agency/advisors affiliation — U.S. (%) ........................................................ 48
32. Agency/advisors affiliation — Canada (%) ..................................................... 48
TABLE OF CONTENTS