European cruise bookings are back on the rise after Costa Concordia disaster
Skift Take
Bookings in the U.S. were unscathed by the sinking and continue to grow in Asia, so the dip in European bookings may be as much an effect of the economy as a fear of accidents from tepid holiday-goers.
With a wrecked cruise ship still half submerged off the coast of Italy and Europe mired in economic troubles, the world's cruise line industry has been navigating turbulent waters.
Industry leaders and analysts say the $37-billion industry is slowly rebounding from the crash of the Costa Concordia on rocks near the Tuscan island of Giglio in January and Europe's economic woes.
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="350"] Cruise lines lowered prices and created incentives to book a trip to lure worried bookers. Photo by David Stanley.[/caption]
With the peak cruise booking period set to begin in January, industry executives say cruise trip reservations seem to be on the rise. A survey of 300 travel agents in North America in July found that 64% expected bookings in 2012 to surpass last year's numbers.
"People generally understand the tragic Concordia incident was an extraordinary event," said Christine Duffy, president and chief executive of the Cruise Lines International
