The Clia 2025 RiverView Conference in Budapest reached full capacity swiftly, highlighting its growing popularity among agents.
- Tickets for the three-day event were completely sold out in just over a day, with 500 agents securing their places.
- The conference’s rapid sell-out marks it as Clia’s fastest-selling event, indicating a heightened interest in river cruising.
- Agents are recognising the conference’s value for networking, learning, and experiencing river cruises in action.
- The event promises opportunities to explore multiple ships and gain insights from industry experts, further enhancing its appeal.
The Clia 2025 RiverView Conference in Budapest has seen unprecedented demand, selling out in just over 24 hours. This swift sell-out reflects the increasing appeal of river cruising in the travel industry. Within this short time frame, all 500 available places were claimed by agents eager to partake in this significant event.
Organised by Clia, the conference will run from March 8-10, 2025, delivering a platform for agents to engage with the burgeoning river cruise sector. Andy Harmer, the association’s UK & Ireland managing director, noted that this event has become the fastest-selling in Clia’s history and hinted at efforts to increase attendance options.
Harmer detailed the event’s history and growth, stating, “It will be the 15th year of our RiverView conference next year. Initially, about 50 agents joined us, but now we have 500 signed up and a significant wait-list.” This growth signifies the event’s standing as a key gathering for river cruise professionals.
The popularity surge is attributed to agents’ growing awareness of river cruising opportunities and the conference’s unique offerings. It facilitates learning from renowned cruise and destination experts while providing firsthand experiences of multiple ships.
During the conference, agents can explore six river cruise ships stationed in Budapest, including Riviera’s MS William Wordsworth and AmaWaterways’ Ama Sonata. This selection underscores the strategic timing, just before these vessels enter service for the season.
Efforts are underway to accommodate more agents, either through additional cabin availability or by introducing more ships to Budapest for the event. The conference also features a ‘New To Selling River Cruise’ masterclass, following its prior success in drawing over 200 agents.
Fam trips along the Danube to Vienna after the conference are planned, aspiring to immerse a third of the conference’s delegates in the river cruising experience. Harmer expressed optimism about this initiative, stating it would offer agents a comprehensive understanding of river cruising.
The Clia 2025 RiverView Conference’s rapid sell-out underscores the booming interest in river cruising within the travel industry.
