Abta expects demand for river cruises to grow with almost a third of people interested in taking this type of holiday.
Most cruise lines offer activities “into the heart of a destination” which is helping to attract people to the sector, the association said.
Abta’s 2020 Travel Trends report released this week, said 32% of people were interested in taking a river cruise.
Abta used market information from its 2019 Holiday Habits Report to identify emerging trends across the industry for the report.
The report was dominated by sustainability issues with consumers becoming increasingly aware of the environmental impact of their holiday.
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Cruisers seeking greener trips have “plenty of options” to choose from, the report added.
Royal Caribbean Cruises recently unveiled a sustainable tour programme, featuring 1,400 excursions across its Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara brands.
The sustainable tours, all certified by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, include kayaking along Mallorca’s west coast and grape harvesting at a winery in Uruguay.
The report also outlines Fred Olsen Cruise Lines and Intrepid’s efforts to reduce single-use plastics on its cruise holidays.