A new historical record could be set in 2015 if the figure of 8 million cruise passengers is exceeded, as expected
Spain consolidates its position as the second European cruise market
- 7.6 million cruise travelers and 3,702 cruise ships arrived in Spanish ports in 2014
- "Ports of Spain": the Spanish representation visits the world's largest cruise fair in Miami
06-03-2015 (Spanish Ministry of Public Works and Transport). Spanish ports have become benchmarks in Europe in cruise ship traffic in recent years. In 2014, 7,662,010 cruise passengers set foot in one of the 46 port facilities on board 3,700 cruise ships, which demonstrates the consolidation of this type of tourism. The expectations are positive and according to Port Authorities forecasts a historical record of 8.1 million cruise passengers could be set in 2015.
Despite the fact that the main Spanish cruise ports are located in the Mediterranean, the ports in the Canary Islands and those in the Atlantic-Bay of Biscay are the ones that have grown the most, particularly the ports in the Canary Islands. The ports under the Port Authority of Las Palmas (Las Palmas, Salinetas, Arinaga, Arrecife and Puerto Rosario) exceeded one million passengers, with a 28.3% increase, while those under the Port Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (S.C. Tenerife, Los Cristianos, San Sebastián de La Gomera and La Estaca) reached 848,159 passengers, a 6.7% increase.
The average growth was more modest in the mainland ports of the Atlantic-Bay of Biscay, 3.4%, but they nevertheless exceeded 855,000 passengers. Worth mentioning in terms of absolute figures is the Bay of Cadiz with 381,285 passengers and, in terms of growth, Ferrol (+259%) and Bilbao (+43%).
The Spanish Mediterranean ports, with the two main destinations in Europe (Barcelona and the Balearic Islands), still account for 64% of the total cruise ships in Spain with 4.9 million passengers, and despite the declines registered in Barcelona and Valencia, have seen a recovery in Malaga (+2.7% and 407,870 passengers) and Motril (+28.6% and 19,589 passengers).
- Spain presents a complete offering in Miami, rolling out its "Blue Carpet"
A representation of all the Spanish ports that receive this type of tourism will be in the city of Miami from March 17 to 19 to attend the world's largest cruise fair.
The "Ports of Spain" stand, with nearly 700 m2, will welcome 25 Port Authorities and
companies of sectors related to port services and tourism. This year,
in addition to the space devoted to ports and tourism promotion, a 100 m2
area has been fitted out for the companies related to the cruise
industry, recreational boating, agents and operators such as Pymar,
Estela Shipping, Estación Marítima de Melilla, BC Tours, Bergé and
Trasmediterránea.
Thus, under the motto "Blue Carpet: The Spanish Cruise Industry, more than just first-class Ports", visitors will have the opportunity to become familiar with our culture through the ports, with a huge variety of offerings and destinations covering the entire Spanish geography.
- CRUISE TOURISM GENERATED 26,389 JOBS IN SPAIN AND HAD AN IMPACT OF 1,255 MILLION EUROS
According to the latest report published by Europe's Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), "Contribution of Cruise Tourism to the Economies of Europe", 200 cruise ships with a capacity for 250,000 people operated in 2013 in Europe. The total number of passengers embarking was 31.2 million, who visited one of the 250 European port cities. The economic impact is estimated at 39,000 million euros, the direct spending of the cruise lines, passengers and crews amounted to 16,200 million euros, and 339,400 jobs were generated.
Extrapolated to Spain, these figures mean that the volume of business generated was 1,255 million euros, generating a total of 26,389 jobs. The Spanish ports made 19 million euros in passenger fees.
- 7 out of every 10 cruise travelers choose Mediterranean ports as their preferred destination
The 40 main ports in Europe, including those in non-European Mediterranean countries, received 32.8 million cruise travelers in 2013, an average increase of 4%. According to the same data, 70% of the tourists who traveled on a cruise ship chose a journey in the Mediterranean, as 23.1 million people called on a European port in 2013. Italy, with 9 ports, is the most visited country, followed by Spain with 7 ports, Greece with 5, and Germany and France, with 3 each.
By country, according to the latest Seatrade report "End of the beginning for cruising", in 2013 Italy received 6,9 million cruise travelers, with a market share of 22.4% of the European total. Spain, with a market share of 16.8% and 5.2 million cruise passengers, is the second country in the European ranking, followed by Greece with 14.8% and 4.6 million passengers, Norway with 9.7% and 3 million, France with 7.7% and 2.4 million, Portugal with 3.7% and 1.1 million, and the United Kingdom with 2.8% and 866,000 passengers.
CRUISE TRAFFIC IN THE MAIN PORTS EUROPE 2012-2013
|
| Port (Country) | Area | 2012 | 2013 |
1 | Barcelona (Spain) | Mediterranean | 2.408.634 | 2.599.232 |
2 | Civitavecchia (Italy) | Mediterranean | 2.394.423 | 2.538.259 |
3 | Venice (Italy) | Mediterranean | 1.739.501 | 1.815.823 |
4 | Southampton (United Kingdom) | Northern Europe | 1.577.790 | 1.646.000 |
5 | Balearic Islands (Spain) | Mediterranean | 1.297.525 | 1.532.508 |
6 | Piraeus (Greece) | Mediterranean | 1.290.300 | 1.302.581 |
7 | Marseilles (France) | Mediterranean | 890.124 | 1.188.031 |
8 | Naples (Italy) | Mediterranean | 1.108.000 | 1.175.000 |
9 | Dubrovnik (Croatia) | Mediterranean | 873.800 | 1.137.000 |
10 | Genoa (Italy) | Mediterranean | 797.239 | 1.051.015 |
11 | Savona (Italy) | Mediterranean | 810.097 | 939.038 |
12 | Las Palmas (Spain) | Atlantic | 832.763 | 830.011 |
13 | Copenhagen (Denmark) | Northern Europe | 840.000 | 800.500 |
14 | S.C. Tenerife (Spain) | Atlantic | 885.623 | 794.343 |
15 | Katakolon (Greece) | Mediterranean | 749.892 | 763.966 |
16 | Santorini (Greece) | Mediterranean | 838.899 | 750.000 |
17 | Corfu (Greece) | Mediterranean | 655.764 | 744.651 |
18 | Livorno (Italy) | Mediterranean | 1.037.849 | 736.516 |
19 | Côte d'Azur (France) | Mediterranean | 702.080 | 613.218 |
20 | Bari (Italy) | Mediterranean | 618.882 | 604.781 |
21 | Kusadasi (Turkey) | Mediterranean | 564.555 | 583.459 |
22 | Lisbon (Portugal) | Atlantic | 522.604 | 559.434 |
23 | Hamburg (Germany) | Northern Europe | 430.329 | 552.359 |
24 | St. Petersburg (Russia) | Northern Europe | 452.000 | 523.525 |
25 | Mykonos (Greece) | Mediterranean | 657.511 | 520.000 |
26 | Tallin (Estonia) | Northern Europe | 440.504 | 519.319 |
27 | Messina (Italy) | Mediterranean | 438.379 | 501.316 |
28 | Rostock (Germany) | Northern Europe | 382.000 | 483.000 |
29 | Stockholm (Sweden) | Northern Europe | 469.000 | 478.000 |
30 | La Valletta (Malta) | Mediterranean | 611.757 | 477.759 |
31 | Funchal (Portugal) | Atlantic | 592.935 | 475.826 |
32 | Valencia (Spain) | Mediterranean | 480.233 | 473.114 |
33 | Bergen (Norway) | Northern Europe | 446.906 | 453.322 |
34 | Helsinki (Finland) | Northern Europe | 366.000 | 424.000 |
35 | Palermo (Italy) | Mediterranean | 354.399 | 410.999 |
36 | Malaga (Spain) | Mediterranean | 651.517 | 397.095 |
37 | Toulon/St. Tropez (France) | Mediterranean | 311.072 | 385.971 |
38 | Bay of Cadiz (Spain) | Atlantic | 334.268 | 375.114 |
39 | Kiel (Germany) | Northern Europe | 348.180 | 363.476 |
40 | Stavanger (Norway) | Northern Europe | 375.000 | 343.000 |
| TOTAL |
| 31.578.334 | 32.862.561 |
Source: CLIA Europe, Puertos del Estado