APB ports placed third in passengers in the Mediterranean and first in transit cruise passengers’

APB ports placed third in passengers in the Mediterranean and first in transit cruise passengers’

Fort Lauderdale, Florida. EE.UU.

16/03/2016

Ports of Balearic Islands’ Port Authority have risen by one point in the overall ranking in cruise passengers’ and have place third in the Mediterranean, behind Barcelona and Civitavecchia ports, with 1.996.533 passengers. 

MedCruise has introduced 2015 annual statistics this morning during the Seatrade Cruise Global, taking place by these days in Fort Lauderdale. 

Ports de Balears, spearheaded by Palma port, have risen from 4th to first position in transit cruise passengers’, among Mediterranean ports, even ahead of Civitavecchia, Barcelona and Naples. Palma Port has also risen from 4th to second position in the Mediterranean in number of registered port calls during 2015, behind of Civitavecchia and ahead of Barcelona with 788 ship cruises per years. 

Mr. Joan Gual de Torrella, APB president, heading Balearic Islands’ delegation at Seatrade Cruise Global, valuates the figures as a recognition of port authority’s work developed for many years and currently presided by him and specially focused on facilitating the implementation of cruise companies in our ports. However, according to president Gual’s declarations, APB objective has to be ensuring a more balanced distribution of the wealth generation by cruises at destination. “Our aim is not growing up for the pleasure of growing but to complement cruise tourism with the existing offer in the Balearic Islands, to contribute finding new business activities”, Gual remarked. 

In this regard, APB wants to position Palma’s port as an off-season destination at Seatrade Cruise Global and to increase stopovers as home port, because has fallen from 5th to 6th position of MedCruise classification. Regarding Ibiza’s port, APB wants this port to also be known as a destination for large cruise ships, now that facilities are ready, and also to offer Mahon, Alcudia and La Savina ports to specialised mid and small length ship cruises companies’ with itineraries for more exclusive passengers. 

MedCruise is the association of Mediterranean Ports and neighbouring seas that aims the growth of cruises’ industry in this area.