Scenic Group, which includes Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours and Emerald Cruises, has revealed that group bookings from the trade have increased by 85 per cent between January and July in 2024 compared to the same period last year

Nick Hughes, director of sales, partnerships and strategic growth for the luxury cruise operator, said: “It is encouraging to see the marked increase in group bookings and growth in the popularity of sailings for larger parties.

“Many of the group bookings we have hosted over the past year are often for big milestone celebrations – anniversaries, birthdays, toasting the start of retirement, for example.”

In June this year Cruise Trade News reported that A-Rosa River Cruises was also targeting the groups market to drive trade sales.

To further boost group bookings, Scenic Group has announced a series of exclusive offers across its itineraries to help agent grow their own group sales and encourage late 2024 and early 2025 group bookings.

The offers include a five-night Christmas Time on the Danube, departing 18 December 2024, from £1,249pp, which includes an extra £50pp discount on group bookings of five cabins of more.

The line is also offering £150pp discount on group bookings of five cabins or more for its eight-night Windmills, Tulips and Belgian Delights sailing, departing throughout April for £1,999pp.

Hughes added: “The growth in popularity [for group bookings] is positive news for us as a luxury cruise operator and for agents as it is a real opportunity to drive those higher revenue, bigger group bookings, capture a greater share of the more non-discretionary spend market where customers are willing to spend more for a more luxurious, memorable holiday experience and extend our offer to a wider customer base.

“We have developed a series of group offers for some of our more popular sailings to enable agents to capitalise on this trend with bookings from now right the way through to early 2025, for guest who are already planning bigger cruise holidays for next year.”

This summer Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours and Emerald Cruises promoted Jonathon Davies to head of sales and announced plans to reshape its trade sales team