Rich cruisers becoming landlubbers?
The number of wealthy Americans planning a cruise over the next year fell to its lowest point since the American Affluence Research Center began studying the subject in 2002.
Only 12 percent of respondents intend a cruise over the next year, which is down from a high of 22 percent in the 2007 survey.
“The lower intentions to cruise are consistent with the overall mood of the affluent survey respondents, who indicated a gloomy 12-month outlook for business conditions and personal household income,” the survey says but that’s no cause for industry alarm.
“The affluent will continue to be an important source of business for the premium and contemporary cruise lines, as well as the luxury lines. At 12 percent of a population of over 11 million households, an estimated 1.4 million households (or 2.7 million total cruisers) will cruise over the next 12 months,” the report says.
Studies have repeatedly shown that older and wealthier people are more likely to cruise than the rest of the population.
The American Affluence Research Center has been conducting its twice-yearly affluent market tracking studies of the wealthiest for several years.
The new report is based on 439 male and female survey participants who have an average annual household income of US$290,000, an average primary residence value of $1.1 million, an average net worth of $3.1 million, and average investable assets of $1.7 million.
Their average age is 56. Ninety one percent are married.
By David Wilkening
David
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