Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) UK & Ireland unveiled a number of trade events and training itineraries at its annual RiverView conference, in Budapest over the weekend.
CLIA is currently hosting its annual river conference, with almost 400 agents attending. The, which concludes today, has returned to Budapest, which was the venue in 2022.
Attendees were given the opportunity to attend business sessions, a networking trade fair and breakout sessions, local excursions and ship visits. They were also being hosted onboard for both nights of the conference, on a selection of river cruise ships:
* AmaWaterways, AmaSonata
* Scenic, Scenic Opal
* TUI River Cruises, TUI Skyla
* VIVA Cruises, VIVA TWO
* Riviera Travel, William Wordsworth
During the event, CLIA announced that a new dedicated ‘River Cruise Day’ will take place on April 3, 2025. A series of tailored assets, information and webinars, plus a new online learning module, will be made available to agents to help them increase their knowledge and promote the sector. Further information, including how to get involved, will be shared over the next few weeks.
CLIA is encouraging river operators to post tailored promotions and offers via its trade Facebook group to mark the day.
In addition, CLIA will use the day to launch details for the next cohort of frontline agents to join its River Cruise Champion Programme. The six-month ‘hybrid learning’ programme will include a mix of classroom training, plus monthly webinars and digital catchups, and start in November. It will lead to a graduation ceremony and special certification that officially recognises participants as ‘River Cruise Champions’.
Elsewhere, a previously announced ‘River Cruise Forum’ is being held on October 23 in Glasgow, with registration opening in the summer. The one-day, in-person session is designed for agents who are actively selling river cruise and want to develop their knowledge and increase sales. The forum will include sector specific business sessions, networking opportunities and the latest industry trends and insight from CLIA.
Across this year, further complementary forums will cover expedition cruise in London on March 20; luxury cruise in Manchester on June 18; and yacht and small ship sailing in Birmingham on September 4. Places are available now for the expedition forum, with the luxury session open for registration from May, and yacht and small ship sailing later this year.
CLIA also has a limited number of tickets available for its annual conference, which this year takes place from May 22-24 and will include business sessions, a networking trade fair, ‘Sailaway’ party and ship visits.
Andy Harmer, CLIA UK & Ireland managing director, said: “As momentum builds even further across the river cruise sector, the fantastic turnout at RiverView shows just how eager agents are to expand their knowledge and seize the opportunities it presents. I’d like to say thanks to everyone who is attending, our sponsors, and all the river cruise lines who made our sessions and visits possible.
“We’re now counting down to our first CLIA River Cruise Day, which will keep river front of mind for agents, and demonstrate the huge variety of cruising options and different lines available. Furthermore, our line-up of events and training across the year means we’re giving the trade even more of the tools and expertise they need to thrive.”
