The recent outbreak of hantavirus and norovirus on cruise ships is attracting attention, but experts and representatives of the yacht industry believe that the demand for sea tourism continues to increase sharply.
3 passengers on the MV Hondius ship died from the hantavirus after the ship docked in Argentina.
Meanwhile, an outbreak of norovirus was also recorded on a British cruise ship anchored in Bordeaux, France.
However, Oceanwide Expeditions, the Dutch company that owns the MV Hondius yacht, said it is not expected to change its operations and will still organize the sea voyage departing from Keflavik, Iceland on May 29.
The International Cruise Association estimates that 38.3 million people will participate in sea trips this year, an increase of 4% compared to the record level of 37.2 million visitors last year.
Mr. Rob Kwortnik, a professor at Cornell University, said that tourists do not seem to be much affected by news about the epidemic on the ship.
He believes that most tourists book trips at least 6 months in advance, so short-term events rarely affect their decisions.
CruiseCompete. com said that the number of cabins booked in the first half of May increased by 31.7% compared to the same period last year. CEO Bob Levinstein affirmed that there has been no decrease in demand.
Some regular cruise tourists also said they have not changed their plans. Ms. Jenni Fielding, who specializes in sharing cruise tourism content, said she has booked 8 trips in advance and will continue to book more.
Analysts believe that the yacht industry is recovering strongly after a period of decline due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Viking said demand for river cruises once decreased short-term when the Iranian conflict broke out but quickly recovered. The company sold 92% of its trips for 2026 and 38% for 2027.
Mr. Andrew Coggins from the University of Pace said that yacht companies are still very optimistic, with many new ships ordered to be built until 2037 to meet growth demand.
