River cruise passengers increase by 21%

The number of British river cruise passengers increased by 21 per cent in 2017, according to Clia UK and Ireland’s UK River Cruise review 2017.

The report also revealed that total bed nights were up by 24 per cent year-on-year.

In total, 210,400 British passengers took a river cruise in 2017, compared to 174,000 in 2016. European river cruising accounts for about 90 per cent of bookings.

While central and western European rivers such as the Rhine and Danube made up 62 per cent of bookings, it was the Douro and Russian Waterways that saw the most growth.

Andy Harmer, senior vice-president membership and Clia UK & Ireland director, said: “With continued investment and innovation in this sector, and with new events and initiatives to engage the travel agent community, the growth in river cruising continues to be an important part of the overall cruise industry.”