This was published 8 years ago
Australia named world's fastest-growing cruise market in CLIA report
By Inga Ting
We love cruises: More than one million Aussies took a cruise last year.Credit: iStock
Australian cruising has had a record-breaking run, reaching its target of one million local cruise passengers six years ahead of target to become the world's fastest-growing passenger market.
More than one million Australians (4.2 per cent of the national population) took a cruise holiday in 2014. This is the world's largest share per population and the first time any region has surpassed four per cent, according to Cruise Lines International Association's latest industry report.
"There is no other cruising nation with this level of market penetration," CLIA Australasia chairman Gavin Smith said at the launch of the report in Sydney on Tuesday.
"Australia remains firmly in the spotlight."
The latest passenger numbers represent a 20.4 per cent increase on 2013 and a six-fold increase over the past decade.
Australia has beaten France and the UK become the world's fastest-growing passenger market.Credit: James Morgan
France was the only other country to achieve double digit growth last year, while the UK/Irish, Spanish and Italian markets shrank.
Australians now account for 4.5 per cent of the world's 22 million cruise passengers, making the country the fourth largest source market.
North America still dominates with 54.2 per cent of passengers, followed by Germany (8 per cent) and UK/Ireland (7.4 per cent).
The South Pacific is the most popular cruise destination for Australians, with nearly 400,000 passengers (39 per cent) choosing to holiday in this region last year.
The Caribbean experienced the strongest growth, attracting 65 per cent more Australians than in 2013.
New Zealand was one of the few cruise destinations to see a fall in Australian passengers. Although it remains the third most popular destination, it attracted 10 per cent fewer passengers than in 2013.
Due to the strong growth of the Australian cruise market, the local industry has revised its 2020 target, doubling its target passenger number from one million passengers to two million, Smith said.
This would require annual average growth of 12.5 per cent over the next six years.
Accessibility and choice were key drivers of growth, according to Smith.
"Australians no longer have to travel overseas to experience first class luxury cruises," he said.
"They have more choice than ever before in finding a cruise product for their economic status, age or stage in life."
See also: New, billion-dollar cruise giant to call Australia home
See also: P&O reveals features of new-generation luxe ships
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