River cruises are proving popular for many Brits, with the number of people taking holidays on Europe’s waterways growing by 6% in 2014 – according to figures released by CLIA UK & Ireland.
River cruise passengers grew by 8,000 in 2014, bringing the total number of British travellers taking a river cruise to 139,400. Of those, 86% travelled to rivers on the continent, proving Europe remains by far the most popular destination for river cruising.
The popularity of the River Danube continues to grow, with a 41% increase in passenger numbers, whilst cruises on the Rhine rose by 37%.
Further afield, Russian river cruises proved popular with Brits in 2014, with a 15% rise in passenger numbers, whilst cruises on the Mekong in South-East Asia and the Ganges in India are up by 55% and 24% respectively.
The rise in the popularity of river cruises could be attributed to the continuous investment in the industry, with CLIA member rivers set to release 17 new vessels in 2015.
Andy Harmer, director of CLIA UK & Ireland, said: “With the continued investment in new, more innovative ships and the ever-increasing choice and diversity of itineraries in Europe and further afield, it’s no surprise that more UK passengers than ever are opting for river cruises as their holiday choice.”
Images sourced via Flickr Creative Commons. Credits: Nitin Vyas
