Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) has switched to the third of its weekly themes for this year’s Cruise Month initiative, celebrating expedition cruising.
“The number of people taking expedition cruises has risen by more than 70 per cent since 2019, reflecting the incredible opportunities available on expedition ships in some of the world’s most remote destinations,” CLIA managing director in Australia, Joel Katz, said.
“Travellers are hungry for unspoilt locations and cultural authenticity, and many are looking to expedition cruises as a way to discover places that might have once seemed out of reach.”
He also said that cruise lines had been investing heavily over recent years to introduce new and more advanced expedition ships, often with pioneering environmental protections and sustainability initiatives in place.
“Conservation and sustainability lie at the heart of expedition cruising, and many travellers choose these journeys to deepen their understanding of the natural environment,” Katz added.
“Expedition cruise lines often provide expert guides onboard, specialising in flora, fauna, and the marine world, while their ships have advanced technology to protect the marine environment in the destinations they visit.”
CLIA’s Cruise Month initiative runs throughout October and includes an expanded social media campaign using the hashtag #LoveCruise, digital advertising aligned with the four weekly themes, Cruise Month coverage in newspapers and specialist publications, Cruise Month promotions by CLIA cruise lines, and a competition in which CLIA travel agents who launch their own Cruise Month events can win a travel package to attend next year’s CLIA Awards gala dinner.
To support members, CLIA has produced a new Cruise Month toolkit that allows travel agents to mount their own Cruise Month initiatives and amplify CLIA’s social media campaign. The toolkit includes Cruise Month logos, social media tiles, imagery, videos, digital banners, a customisable flyer, posters, and more.
Agents can also take part in Cruise Month webinars hosted by CLIA cruise lines, allowing them to expand their product knowledge and take advantage of the latest cruise line initiatives.
