European Waterways is reporting record sales of its luxury hotel barge cruises with the company citing a number of post-pandemic trends that align with its unique travel experience.
The company says that its private charter bookings have increased more than 45% as consumers seek to escape the forced confinement of the past three years, but at the same time do so in a “travel bubble” composed of families and small groups.
EW is also a beneficiary of the trend of travellers seeking experiences that take them “off the beaten path,” and at the same time wanting to be more than “observers,” instead becoming immersed in local culture, gastronomy, and history of the region.
“We had a record year in 2022, with bookings 16% higher than our previous record, because our cruises tick all the boxes,” says European Waterways’ managing director Derek Banks. “We offer exclusive ‘slow travel’ and ‘relaxed luxury’ experiences that are consistently among the most frequently cited industry trends.”
Launched more than 40 years ago with a single barge operating on Canal du Midi in southern France, European Waterways now boasts the largest fleet of luxury hotel barges in Europe with routes along smaller rural waterways in historic regions across the nine countries.
Barges accommodate six to 20 people with a 1:2 crew ratio, offering an all-inclusive experience designed to give guests a “gentle, immersive voyage of discovery” focusing upon the culture, history, fine wine, and gourmet cuisine of the cruise regions.
The “slow travel style” enables guest to exercise flexibility and spontaneity with ample opportunity to hop off and explore their surroundings by bike or on foot.
There are also daily, chauffeured excursions “off the beaten track” to a wide variety of locations and activities, from wine and whisky tastings to private tours of stately homes, or truffle hunting with hounds.
Onboard the hotel barge, guests are served meals prepared by a master chef that include wine pairings from local vintages. Barges also include onboard amenities such as spa pools and bicycles, available for guests’ use.
“Our 2023 bookings are already on another record pace,” said Banks. “We’re also seeing strong bookings for 2024 and even 2025. It reflects another travel trend of people feeling more confident about the future and booking their dream, ‘bucket list’ vacations far in advance.”