CLIA Survey Reports 4% Rise In Cruise Passengers
by James Shillinglaw /Holland America’s newly christened MS Konigsdam.
The cruise industry is stronger now than ever. That’s the takeaway from the latest Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) survey reporting 2015 ocean cruise passenger numbers and passenger projections for 2016. CLIA unveiled the survey at the Cruise360 conference in Vancouver last week.
In all, cruising generated nearly $120 billion for the global economy in 2015.
CLIA, which celebrated its 40th anniversary last year, reported a total of 23.2 million passengers sailed on ocean cruises globally in 2015, up from its initial projection of 23 million, and a 4% increase over 2014. Meanwhile, CLIA has modified its passenger expectations for 2016 and is now predicting 24.2 million cruisers will sail globally this year. Those cruisers will sail on a CLIA member fleet of 448 ships, including 27 new ships added in 2015 alone. In all, cruising generated nearly $120 billion for the global economy in 2015.
Much of the cruise industry’s growth can be attributed to higher passenger numbers from emerging markets around the world, including China and other countries, the report says. For example, in 2015 Asia experienced the most growth in ocean cruise passengers year over year, with a 24% increase and a total of more than 2 million ocean cruise passengers. Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific region also experienced a 14% increase in ocean cruise passengers in 2015, with more than 1.1 million travelers.
CLIA president & CEO Cindy D’Aoust said cruise travel continues to have great long-term growth potential, since it represents only 2% of the total leisure travel market, has the highest satisfaction rates among global travelers, and is growing in popularity around the world. According to the World Tourism Organization, in the decade between 2004 and 2014, global cruise vacations grew faster in popularity than land-based vacations by a 20% margin.