CLIA has announced that Mail on Sunday travel editor Sarah Hartley, APT chief commercial officer Debra Fox, and Scenic managing director UK Colin Downing, are the keynote speakers for its river cruise conference.

The annual conference is now in its eighth year and will take place in Paris from 10-11 November.

Topics of discussion will include growth in the sector, new ships, itineraries and destinations, and attracting new-to river-cruise customers.

The River Cruise Excellence Awards will also take place during the conference.

Andy Harmer, CLIA UK & Ireland director, said: “We are thrilled to announce our fantastic keynote speakers and look forward to hearing them share their wealth of knowledge and experience within the sector at the river cruise conference.

“The conference showcases the amazing experiences that a river cruise offers and is a fantastic way for agents to learn more about this type of holiday by hearing from experts, visiting several river ships and meeting those who work in the sector.”

For more information, visit www.cruisexperts.org