We hear a lot about the positive impact the cruise industry has on ports around the UK. After all, what other sector of the travel industry could transport holidaymakers into regional towns and cities, all of whom are looking to spend their money in restaurants, museums and other local businesses, at such a volume?

However, overtourism and the environmental impact of large ships are serious issues for port communities, who are often left to grapple with large passenger numbers while seeing little of the benefit. This is the subject of our February issue’s CTN Investigates feature on page 40, in which we weigh up the cost of the cruise industry’s success on the UK’s coastal regions.

While it’s important to drive these difficult conversations, there’s no denying that the cruise industry is in rude health at the moment. Bookings are up across the board and there’s compelling data to show that the type of holidays people being sold are changing in a variety of interesting ways. More on that on page 21.

It’s exciting times for Cruise Trade News, as well, as we officially announce the return of our roadshow-cum-gameshow event, Cruise Challenges, which will be celebrating its eighth year by travelling to more towns and cities than ever before. Turn to page 26 and find out how you can sign up today.

There’s all that, plus a stellar line-up of in-depth travel features and ship reviews designed to get your customers dreaming of their next holiday.

Happy reading!