More than 1 million Aussies took a cruise holiday in 2014

The Aussie love for cruising hit a new high with the latest numbers revealing that more than one million Australians went on a cruise holiday in 2014.

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According to the 2014 Cruise Lines International Association report, Australia is the world’s fastest growing source of cruise passengers, with numbers rising by 20.4% last year to reach 1,003,256 cruisers.

With a huge boost to the local cruise industry, the million mark achievement has come six years before it was earlier predicted, with an impressive double digit year-on-year growth since 2002.

CLIA Australasia Chairman Gavin Smith said Australians’ enthusiasm for cruising was unparalleled around the world, with France the only other major world market to achieve double digit growth (13.6%) in 2014.

The report also shows that Australia has retained its position as the world leader for market penetration with 4.2% of the population taking a cruise last year, compared with 3.4% of North Americans.

Looking at the current figures, Mr Smith further predicted that, “If our growth rate continues at just 12.5% for the next six years, we will reach two million passengers by 2020.”

According to the research, the most popular cruise destination for Australians is the South Pacific, attracting more than 390,000 passengers, which comprises 39% of the market. In general, cruises of 8 to 14 days duration remain the most popular attracting 54% of passengers, although shorter cruises of up to four days experienced a 59% rise in numbers.

Interestingly, New South Wales remains the largest source of cruise passengers, accounting for 41% of the market.