Last month, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) confirmed that 2017 was another positive year for the cruise industry in terms of ocean cruise passenger growth.
Last year’s figures surpassed earlier projections, reaching 26.7 mill cruise passengers globally, up from the forecast 25.8 mill.
For 2018, based on the new vessel launch schedule and expected regional deployment, CLIA is projecting another positive year-over-year growth for the industry with a passenger forecast of 28 mill.
“Once again, the cruise industry has raised the bar and exceeded projections and expectations,” said Cindy D’Aoust (pictured) , CLIA president and CEO. “I am proud to be a part of this dynamic industry that continues to grow and evolve bringing the cruise vacation experience to millions each year.”
Asia, accounting for about 15% of total global ocean passenger volume in 2017, experienced a 20.5% increase last year in comparison to 2016. Domestically, the US and Canada saw impressive ocean passenger growth in 2017 with a 5%t increase over 2016. Australia also experienced positive growth at around 5%. Europe also remained strong, recording a 2.5% global passenger growth over 2016.
North America represented the largest ocean passenger volume in 2017 (49%) with a total of more than 13 mill ocean cruise passengers followed by Europe (26%) with nearly seven million ocean cruise passengers.
The total area percentages in descending order were –
⦁ North America (49%)
⦁ Europe (26%)
⦁ Asia (15%)
⦁ Australia/Pacific (5.4%)
⦁ South Central America (3.2%)
⦁ Other (1.6%).
New analyses also revealed that the average age of global ocean passengers last year was 47 years. These passengers also preferred cruising for an average of 7.2 days, 2% lower than the average cruise length in 2016, CLIA concluded.
