CLIA announces trade-friendly events as activities gather pace

As both domestic and international cruise travel continue to open up, CLIA events are designed to help agents gain the insight that will further boost their enquiries and bookings.

The largest-scale event is the CLIA Conference 2022, which will take place in Southampton in the spring. The conference will give attendees the opportunity to get onboard ships again and experience first-hand the hospitality of the industry. It will be a celebration of the diversity of cruise products available, with industry-leading figures on hand to help inform and engage the trade.

Next year’s RiverView Conference 2022 will take place in Budapest from March 20-22. Delegates will be given the opportunity to spend two nights onboard river ships and have a full day of business sessions and networking. A total of nine ships across different brands will be made available, as well as a local Budapest excursion and two celebratory dinners.

Prior to the RiverView Conference is RiverView Week, which be held from November 22-26, 2021. CLIA is working alongside its river cruise partners to bring agents a series of virtual events, including brand updates, expert panel discussions and a session on the Danube ahead of the Budapest event.

CLIA is also organising several luxury, expedition and river residentials next year. Each trip is for a limited number of attendees and will offer more immersive and intimate educational experiences. Agents will develop their understanding, knowledge and unique selling points of these sectors by having dedicated time with sponsors and experts. Further details will follow.

In addition, a new-to yacht and sail cruising guide will be published next year. The guide will provide top sales tips, an explanation of how onboard experiences differ from traditional ocean cruising, and recommendations on the type of guests to target with these holidays. The guide, the latest in CLIA’s ‘new-to’ series, will include destination advice and mini-profiles of the different sail and yacht ships.

The updates were all provided at CLIA’s Selling Cruise Day 2021, held in Southampton, which was the organisation’s first in-person conference since 2019. The event saw a total of 340 delegates hear from keynote speakers including Ben Bouldin, vice president EMEA at Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd and CLIA chair UK & Ireland; Andy Harmer, managing director CLIA UK & Ireland; and Jan Swartz, president of the Holland America Group.

Andy Harmer said: “As the positive cruise momentum continues, we’re keeping pace by offering a range of event options for the trade that we’re confident will be engaging, informative and fun. From in-person conferences to residentials to virtual activities, we’ve listened carefully to feedback from across the industry, so we can provide the most beneficial and immersive experiences possible.

“We’re looking forward to offering the tools and know-how that will equip the trade for a rewarding and buoyant cruise market.”