77% of agents report rise in cruise sales

CLIA said a survey of travel agents found 77% reporting
cruise sales are up in 2017.

The group’s first 2017 Travel Agent Cruise Industry Outlook
Report also found that three quarters of agents expect an increase in consumer
spending in 2017.

The findings are broadly consistent with past CLIA research.
For example, the previous outlook report released in December 2016 found that
three-quarters of agents surveyed projected a continued sales volume increase
in 2017.

In the 2017 report, CLIA found 47% of travel agents
reporting the highest customer satisfaction with ocean cruises compared to 21%
listing all-inclusive resorts and 7% ranking house or condo rentals as tops.

The CLIA survey said shorter cruise lengths are becoming
more popular with the greatest interest in cruises lasting less than two weeks.

Forty-three percent reported that clients were most
interested in cruises of three to five days and 44% of agents predict increased
bookings in cruises lasting six to eight days. North America-based travel
agents have seen a shift towards domestic travel, CLIA said.