Agnets help bring cruising to record levels

Agents help bring cruising to record levels Travel agent partners were cited as a main reason why more than 2.6 million people cruised on Cruise Lines International Association member line ships in the third quarter of 2003, according to CLIA figures. That number included 2.1 million North Americans. The third quarter figures reflect an 8.9% increase worldwide, or 5.5% North American passengers, over the same period last year. “The industry is on pace to reach our original estate of 9.6 million passengers worldwide (8.3 million North Americans) for another record-setting year,” said Bob Sharak, CLIA’s executive director. “It is thanks to the joint efforts of the industry and its professional travel agent partners that ClIA ships sailed at 103.2% occupancy during the first three quarters of 2003,” he added. An NFO Plog study found that 56% of those who have ever cruised have done so in the past five years. But there’s obviously a lot more room for growth, Mr Sharak said, noting that only 15% of the total US population has ever taken a cruise.