The leading cruise organisation’s annual river cruise conference, which will take place in Amsterdam from 10-11 November 2019, will include four ship visits and overnight stays on board.

The four ships docked in Amsterdam during the conference will be A-Rosa’s A-Rosa Flora, which comprises an outdoor heated pool and large spa and sauna; Amadeus River Cruises’ MS Amadeus Silver III, boasting a panorama restaurant and glass-shielded river terrace; CroisiEurope’s MS Douce France, one of the line’s ‘5 anchor’ premium ships, and Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Bach, which features one of the largest standard accommodations in river cruising.

Along with visits on each ship, delegates will also enjoy dinner plus an overnight stay onboard either A-Rosa Flora or MS Douce France on Sunday 10 November.

The two-day CLIA River Cruise Conference will also include forum sessions at the Mövenpick Hotel Amsterdam City Centre, along with a trade fair and various networking opportunities.

Andy Harmer, CLIA UK & Ireland director, said: “For agents who are serious about building their river cruise business and want to learn more about this fantastically diverse and exciting sector of the industry, the annual CLIA River Cruise Conference is not to be missed.

“Being the only event of its kind in the world, delegates will hear directly from industry experts and learn about the latest selling tips, innovations and trends.

“As this sector constantly evolves, agents selling this type of holiday can really benefit from the variety of choice that is on offer, and it’s important that they are able to stay informed about this industry by experiencing the ships and hearing from experts firsthand.”

The popularity of river cruising in the UK continues to rise, with a total of 232,000 river cruises having been taken by British and Irish holidaymakers last year – up by 10 per cent from the year before, according to CLIA statistics.

The Danube came out on top as the most popular river cruise destination, followed closely by the Rhine. There have also been some interesting new trends emerging in river cruising, from diverse itineraries and shore excursions to innovative new ships and on-board programmes.

For more details on the CLIA River Cruise Conference 2019, visit cruiseexperts.org.