Nile tops bestselling river cruises, Kuoni reveals
The River Nile has topped the list for best-selling river cruises with bookings up 20 per cent, Kuoni has revealed.
In its worldwide travel report 2020, the travel company revealed that Egypt is enjoying continued growth, which is set to continue with the opening of The Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo, currently under construction and scheduled to open later in 2020.
It also revealed that rail and sail combinations are up, particularly in Alaska. It said: “The trend shows no sign of stopping and the majority of Canada bookings now include an Alaska cruise. Kuoni’s top-selling itinerary is mountain rails & Alaska, a 15-night journey featuring Celebrity Cruises and the Rocky Mountaineer.”
The demand for Japan has also continued, particularly ahead of the 2020 Olympics. The country is investing heavily in the cruise market with its terminals, with the aim to disperse tourists to lesser-visited areas and islands.
Expedition cruising has also been a growth area for Kuoni with the addition of new Galapagos cruises for 2020. Its customers often combine an expedition cruise with Kuoni escorted small group tours, stays and experiences.
The report also revealed the company’s top 25 destinations for 2020, with luxury bookings to destinations including Mauritius, Antigua and Vietnam all on the rise in 2020.
The Maldives retained its position as the best-selling premium destination for the 17th year running, while Bali had its first upturn in two years to spot number five. Drawing customers to less commercialised areas has been its focus over the past year, with the addition of Lovina in the north of Bali with black sand beaches and fishing communities, it became one of the first properties to ban single-use plastic.
The company has also focused on sustainability and protection of the natural world in its report. Citing heightened consumer awareness of environmental issues as a catalyst for change.
Social and environmental practices are coming to the fore, with bans on single-use plastic, eco-workshops and promotion of locally made, coral-safe sun creams becoming popular.
The top ten best-selling destinations for 2020 are:
- Maldives
- Mauritius
- Thailand
- Sri Lanka
- Bali
- Italy
- USA
- Vietnam
- Antigua
- South Africa
To read the full report, visit kuoni.co.uk/worldwide-travel-report.
