Aussie cruising grows as global demand soars

Aussie cruising grows as global demand soars

The cruise tourism ship has set sail, with Australians right on trend as the fourth biggest national cruise market in the world.

The study from Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) also revealed that global demand for cruising reached 22.04 million passengers in 2014, up 68 per cent from 13.1 million in 2004.

These figures represent a 3.4 per cent growth from the 21.3 million cruisers in 2013.

CLIA’s independently conducted 2014 Economic Impact Analysis showed that the cruise industry contributed $119.9 billion to the global economy in 2014, up from $117 billion the previous year.

This includes almost 940,000 jobs for full-time equivalent employees, with a collective annual salary of $39.3 billion.

CLIA acting ceo Cindy D’Aoust remarked on the truly global and dynamic nature of the cruise industry.

“The potential for new cruise passenger growth is huge,” A’oust said.

According to the study, the global cruise industry’s 22 million passengers are sourced from around the world, with North America accounting for 55 per cent and Europe for 29 per cent.

“Other regions of the world account for nearly 85 per cent of the world’s population, yet represent only 16 per cent of cruisers. That reflects a tremendous opportunity for the cruise industry,” she added.

A’oust also identified Asia as a prime example of this growth opportunity.

CLIA’s 2014 Asia Cruise Trends Study showed that cruise tourism is growing in Asia at double-digit rates, both in capacity and as a passenger source market, with China the main driver of passenger growth in this region.

Featured Image: Hpeterswald/Wikimedia Commons

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