River cruise lines band together to win over Australians  

Four of Australia's leading river cruise lines have formed a collective to fight back against the huge marketing budgets of ocean cruising and get a voice.

The lines want to promote the message that river cruising is as surprising, exciting and adventurous as any holiday out there.

The River Cruise Collective will dispel the myths that river cruisers are mainly older travellers wanting a quiet life with events, a dedicated website, podcasts, videos and a national advertising campaign. 

It comes as Cruise Lines International Association also turns the spotlight on river cruising with a dedicated break-out event at its upcoming conference, Cruise 360.

Industry veteran Daisy Melwani has been appointed to spearhead the dedicated river cruise campaign with the region's leading cruise publisher Big Splash Media.

Big Splash owns Cruise&Travel and cruisepassenger.com.au, one of the biggest travel websites in Australasia.

Collaborating with key industry players AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways, Tauck and Uniworld, the River Cruise Collective is a strategic marketing group created with the sole purpose of growing the river cruise market share in the region.

Big Splash Media Managing Director and Cruise&Travel Editor-in-Chief, Peter Lynch said it was an exciting time to launch the River Cruise Collective as cruising continues to smash records in 2024 with Australians now the fourth-largest cruising nation on the planet, with totals growing over the next four years to 1.7 million.

“River cruising is a fantastic holiday option for so many cruise affectionados. It offers exceptional value for money, luxury and unique experiences holidaymakers wouldn't be able to access on their own, and in much more comfort than being ushered around on a coach,” Lynch said.

“We've been to India to hunt tigers (with a camera!) and into the Amazon jungle on river cruises that rival the best of adventure and luxury. We've just returned from the Nile and some mind-blowing sightseeing, riding camels and flying in hot air balloons.

“The big ocean liners make a bigger, louder noise with bigger budgets so Australian travellers are less familiar with the potential of river cruising. That's where, as cruise media experts, we come in.”

In 2024, the global river cruise market is estimated to reach US$2,525 million, with an anticipated rise at a CAGR of 11.2% topping above US$7,322 million by 2034, according to a recent Future Market Insights report. While Australian uptake is high, a stronger consumer marketing effort is necessary to fuel and cement future growth, which was a key driver for the four cruise lines collaborating in the River Cruise Collective venture. 

Overseeing the campaign, Daisy Melwani has been appointed as Editorial Partnerships Manager to execute and manage all aspects of the collective. Daisy brings over 20 years experience in the travel industry, including Editor at Large of Travel Weekly and Event Director for The Misfits, overseeing Australia's first TEDx for travel conference, Travel DAZE.

“I'm thrilled to work alongside Peter and his team of wordsmiths and travel enthusiasts. Having been a convert to river cruising myself, I'm excited to embark on this journey with the industry to grow the sector and provide Australians with a more holistic view of the river cruise experience.”

The River Cruise Collective officially launches on 1 May.

For more information on the River Cruise Collective visit https://cruisepassenger.com.au/rivercruise/ or contact Daisy Melwani daisy@bigsplashmedia.com.au or on 0401 216 294 or Peter Lynch, Big Splash Media, at peter.lynch@bigsplashmedia.com.au or 0417 043 964.