The new events recently announced by CLIA aim to provide further support and training to the Irish travel trade community, and to help them get the most out of their membership with the cruise trade association.

They include the Dublin Cruise Showcase, which will give agents the opportunity to get on board a cruise for the day and hear from cruise lines and CLIA about the industry.

The first event was held on the Azamara Journey and the second event will take place on Princess Cruises’ Crown Princess on 13 September.

CLIA has also formed its first-ever Irish trade working group, comprising travel agents and cruise line representatives. They will meet regularly to discuss the ways in which the industry can work together to grow the Irish cruise market.

Andy Harmer, CLIA UK & Ireland director, commented: “Through new CLIA initiatives specifically created for Irish agents, CLIA intends to bring together the travel community in Ireland to help spread the word about the fantastic experiences a cruise holiday has to offer.

The announcement from CLIA that it will be bolstering its support of Irish travel agents comes shortly after the news that Irish passenger figures for 2018 were up 8.3 per cent from the year prior, highlighting the burgeoning popularity of cruise holidays among the Irish.

“There is fantastic potential for growth in cruise sales, and it’s important for CLIA to work closer with Irish agents to ensure they are equipped with the knowledge and information to be able to sell the right cruise to the right customer,” continues Andy Harmer.

“CLIA’s travel agent programme offers invaluable online learning with training courses and accreditation, along with live events including ship visits, annual conferences and roadshows.

“We hope that by increasing our presence in Ireland, agents will in turn grow their businesses through cruise sales and we’ll see even more Irish holidaymakers choosing to cruise over the coming years.”

Spaces for the Crown Princess event are still available and open to all Irish agents, including non-CLIA members. Visit cruiseexperts.org for more information.