ITTN’s Sharon Jordan attended the CLIA Christmas dinner in the Dean Hotel last Monday, and while it was one of the coldest days of the year, it didn’t dampen spirits.
On the evening there were a number of short speeches made by key cruise lines including Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises, Princess Cruises, Avalon, and Celebrity Cruises.
While Andy Harmer, managing director for CLIA UK & Ireland, couldn’t make it due to bad weather and cancelled flights he sent us this update and seasonal message:
“The Ireland market and its trade partners are of critical importance to the cruise industry.
“We previously saw a steep increase in Irish holidaymakers taking a holiday at sea, and are already well on the way to those numbers being surpassed in future. Thanks to the large deployment of ships offering a choice of itineraries in Europe and the Caribbean, these destinations remain the most popular options.
“Major cruise lines continue to demonstrate their confidence in the local market by calling at ports in Dublin and beyond, which is key for inbound tourism too.
“We have always had fantastic support from Irish agents and the opportunity to further grow their businesses through selling cruises is clear.
“We’re looking forward to seeing the positive momentum continue into 2023. Huge thanks to everyone in the trade who has contributed to this success.”
