River cruising has never been hotter with Viking predicting the destinations Aussie travellers will be busting to see in 2020.
HAVE you started thinking about where your clients will go in 2020? Forget that, I hear you say as you glance at the March page on the 2019 calendar.
However, with early-bird season just around the corner it’s not a bad idea to start researching the regions customers will be considering when calling to book next year’s break.
There’s no doubt river cruising will still be massive with a recent CLIA report noting it’s the hottest trend in the market right now alongside multi-generational travel.
The team at Viking have peered into the crystal ball to predict where Aussies will be river cruising in 2020 and there are five lovely locations on the list.
1. UKRAINE
The river-cruising route traditionally terminated in Budapest but, as travellers seek to see past the tried and tested, vessels are entering Eastern Europe to navigate spots like Ukraine once hidden behind the Iron Curtain.
Viking is one of the few companies focusing on Ukraine and will launch a new journey called Kiev, Black Sea and Bucharest in 2020 with the 12-day itinerary dawdling the Dnieper River to visit Zaporozhye and Odessa before finishing in the Romanian capital.
2. PORTUGAL
Portugal boasts 15 UNESCO sites – ranking it 8th in Europe – with the country that’s home to Lisbon, Porto and the Douro River red-hot because it offers a blend of scenery, culture, history, food and wine.
Portugal’s River of Gold is one of Viking’s top-selling tours taking 10 days to creep between Lisbon and Porto, floating the Douro to scenic spots like Regua and Pinhao, and venturing into Spain for a stop in Salamanca.
3. RUSSIA
Last year’s FIFA World Cup put the spotlight on Russia, enticing intrepid travellers to visit the world’s largest country, with The Hermitage in St Petersburg and Moscow’s Red Square topping many a to-do list.
River cruising is an easy way to do Russia – returning to a riverboat to eat and sleep is comfortable in a spot that throws up challenges – with Viking’s Waterways of the Tsars a 13-day itinerary following the Volga to take in both big cities and smaller settlements in between.
4. FRANCE
France never goes out of fashion – 90 million people will enter in 2019 continuing to make it the world’s most visited land – with more tourists than ever signing up to do a river cruise that stays inside the border.
France’s Finest is Viking’s 15-day expedition starting in the capital and including two river cruises, the Seine from Paris to the Atlantic coast and a Rhone float from Lyon to Avignon, to guarantee different experiences and environments.
5. EGYPT
Egypt is back in fashion, after a few years removed from the travel radar, with Viking’s 12-day journey Pharaohs & Pyramids taking in legendary locations along the River Nile from Cairo and Giza to Luxor and Aswan.
Those keen to explore Egypt next year need to get in quick, as Viking’s 2019 departures sold out fast, and when news circulates about the October 2020 launch of the new riverboat Viking Osiris there’s bound to be another rush.
The Viking Difference
Viking is revolutionising river cruising – offering intimate and inclusive itineraries crafted to let passengers explore and engage with destinations.
Passengers feel emerged in the destination they visit through the cuisine, culture, countryside and customs – with Central and Eastern Europe, Vietnam, China and Egypt destinations on the itinerary.
For more information visit the Viking website here:
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- READ: 6 ways Viking are changing the game in Australian cruising
- READ:THE VIKINGS HAVE ARRIVED! Viking Orion sails into Australia
- READ: Agents set to benefit from the Viking value
What river cruising destination is on your 2020 bucket list?
Written by KARRYON contributor, Sarah Nicholson
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