2020 trends
From far left: Cologne; Rothenburg; the Mekong; Avalon’s Active & Discovery itineraries
the agenda, mirroring APT’s Freedom of Choice model, which also lets guests choose between a range of tours. These developments came in response to what Townson called an increasingly “discerning customer”. “Customers are demanding more - they want the multiple dining venues, suites, pools, wellbeing facilities, excursions and top service they get on the ocean lines,” he said. “We’re building super-ships to deliver that to customers.”
SUSTAINABILITY
It’s not just about the itinerary and facilities, of course - how ships go about providing these products, and how they minimise the impact they have on the ports they visit, will be key in 2020 and beyond. A-Rosa is bringing out the first battery-operated river cruise ship in 2021 with the aim of “approaching and leaving every single destination without any kind of fuel consumption,” in Rowe’s words. Other lines are also taking sustainability seriously, looking at new
travelweekly.co.uk/cruise
ports of call - Perl highlighted the Austrian town of Spitz, on the Danube, as a potential stop for new ship AmaMagna - to limit the impact on the bigger spots. “It’s no longer just a nice-to-have,”
said Jessica Shelton-Agar, national sales manager for APT. “Customers now expect it.” Parton added: “Consumers are actively looking for companies that are showing they’re making strides in sustainability efforts. I think we’ve all been doing that for a long time, but now it’s a case of ramping that up and shouting about it.” Indeed shouting about these moves,
and getting the message out there in the right way, will be imperative if river cruise lines are to capture the younger market and target an eco-conscious generation that puts sustainability and meaningful experiences above all else. How the sector goes about doing
that will be the key challenge, but as the market matures, aligning itself ever-closer to the ocean sector, it looks set to be making some major steps in the right direction.
OTHER KEY TRENDS
f Solo travel: Riviera Travel points to the solo market. The line introduced a no-single- supplement offer on 13 itineraries this year, which have sold well.
f Specialist and themed cruises: A-Rosa reports growing interest in food, wine, health, golf and spa- themed cruises. The line has joined up with Andante Travels to offer archaeological tours (page 21).
f Technology: AmaWaterways recently launched the AmaCruiser app which details activities and shore excursions, while Avalon’s AvalonGO app allows clients to find the ship if they get lost, and provides tips on destinations.
f Multigenerational travel: Mixed family groups are growing, according to Uniworld, A-Rosa and AmaWaterways, which has been building ships with interconnecting rooms, and says that while the trend started in the US, the UK is starting to catch on.
November 2019 31
CREDITS: SHUTTERSTOCK; NULLPLUS
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