Cruise Month turns the spotlight on river cruising this week, highlighting travel options along the world’s great inland waterways.
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has launched the second of its weekly themes for October’s Cruise Month initiative, celebrating river cruising and its rise as one of the most innovative areas of international travel.
“River Cruise Week is an opportunity to highlight the spectacular travel opportunities available on waterways around the world, and the fantastic choice of ships now available,” said CLIA Managing Director in Australasia Joel Katz. “Cruise lines are introducing new ships, new itineraries and new experiences, which together make river cruising one of the most exciting areas in travel.”
Nine major operators make up CLIA’s river cruise line membership, covering virtually every major river cruise destination in the world. They include specialist ships operating in rivers across Europe, as well as in Asia, North America, South America and Africa.
“With the rise in popularity of river cruising has come greater investment in new ships, setting new standards in design and style,” Mr Katz said. “We have seen a succession of new ship launches this year, including newcomers on the Rhine and Danube in Europe, on the Douro in Portugal, on the Nile in Egypt and on the Magdalena in Colombia.”
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.
To find out more, see the Cruise Month Toolkit in the CLIA Members Hub or visit the Cruise Month page at www.cruising.org.au. See the weekly CLIA newsletter for webinar details and cruise line promotions.
