CLIA has announced that it will hold a specialist in-person training event focusing on river cruising later this year.

The news was revealed at the 2023 RiverView Conference, in Vienna, attended by almost 400 delegates – the association’s biggest river event to date.

The learning day will take place on 5 October, designed for agents who are keen to enhance their knowledge of the river sector.

Similar events will also be held for luxury and expedition cruising, and everyone who takes part and passes will receive formal certification.

As part of the conference, a number of cruise lines have agreed to fund a selection of the best ideas from agents who are attending the event, to help grow their sales. More details on the initiative will be released in due course.

CLIA will additionally launch an interactive RiverView learning module which covers the journey from Amsterdam to Bucharest.

The association also now has an online interactive resource, demonstrating how the cruise industry is advancing its sustainability agenda.

The toolkit is accessible to all agents and contains river cruise information as part of its wider content.

CLIA UK & Ireland MD Andy Harmer said: “We’re thrilled to see so many agents and stakeholders attend the RiverView conference and would like to thank everyone who has joined us.

“There is fantastic support and momentum across the sector, and it’s clear that river cruise offers a wealth of opportunities and benefits for agents and customers alike.

“We’re also pleased to announce several new river cruise initiatives, covering trade best practice and learning opportunities.

“By continuing to collaborate across the industry, we are confident we will help develop and enhance river cruise’s profile even further.”