Ferry demand surges as travellers embrace slower, multi-country trips

Ferry travel is gaining momentum in 2026, with travel search data highlighting rising demand for new routes, cross-border journeys, and multi-destination itineraries, according to Rome2Rio internal search figures.

The standout growth is Hibernia Line’s new Boulogne-sur-Mer–Cork service. Searches on the travel app jumped 2,307% between Q1 and Q2, from 91 to more than 2,100, following the launch of the year-round crossing in June – the first international passenger ferry service to the French port city in 15 years. Searches across the wider Boulogne-sur-Mer–Ireland corridor rose 1,406%.

Elsewhere in Europe, searches linking Croatia’s Istrian coast with Venice, Italy, climbed sharply, while Lake Como–Lugano journeys connecting northern Italy with Switzerland increased by 1,211%, suggesting growing interest in combining ferry travel with onward cross-border trips.

Long-haul combinations are also rising. Kuala Lumpur–Krabi searches increased 584%, reflecting Malaysia–Thailand island-hopping demand, while Busan–Sasebo journeys, via the Busan–Fukuoka ferry connecting South Korea and Japan, grew 545%.

The trend aligns with growing interest in ‘slow tourism’ and experience-based travel. For insurers, the shift towards road trips, overnight crossings, and multi-country itineraries underlines the importance of cover that can accommodate complex journeys, multiple destinations, and varied transport modes.