The Malaga Costa del Sol Provincial Tourism Board, in collaboration with the Malaga City Council, the Ministry of Commerce and Tourism and the Port Authority, has launched the campaign “They come to see you”, a street marketing action that aims to raise awareness among the citizens of Malaga and professionals involved in the industry about the importance of the role we all play in offering the most professional service to the thousands of cruise passengers who disembark at our destination.
In this regard, the brochure explains that in 2013 cruise tourism generated an economic impact of €40 million and created 680 jobs. Málaga has one of the leading European ports, receiving almost 400,000 cruise passengers annually. These passengers come from the United Kingdom (30%), Germany (18%), and Spain (15%). Furthermore, the brochure details that cruise passengers typically spend €62 during their five-hour visit, that 81% of surveyed visitors stated they would return and recommend Málaga, and that they gave the destination an average rating of 8.62. It also specifies that each cruise day represents an economic impact of €300,000 for Málaga.
The President of the Port Authority, Paulino Plata, emphasized that “this is a very interesting campaign to raise awareness among businesses about the influence of cruise passengers on the city's economic activity. For this reason, it's essential to reinforce friendly service for these customers, as a positive experience increases the likelihood of them returning to the destination for a longer stay. We are currently in the midst of one of the peak cruise seasons. Specifically, this week, some 20,000 cruise passengers are scheduled to visit the Port of Malaga aboard 10 cruise ships, with an average expenditure of 62 euros per passenger. Therefore, we consider it vitally important to continuously promote this activity.”.
For his part, Javier Hernández, Director General of Tourism for the City of Málaga, emphasized that initiatives like the 'They're Coming to See You' campaign highlight the enormous importance of the cruise ship segment to Málaga's tourism sector. Hernández stressed the need for all citizens to get involved in an industry that already has an impact of over 40 million euros.
The managing director of Andalusian Tourism, Francisco Artacho, has stated that “the cruise segment is of strategic importance for Andalusia, both for its direct effect and for its high added value, since it has a high deseasonalizing effect and contributes to the prospecting of the destination.”.
“The excellent range of offerings that Andalusia provides for this type of traveler must meet their expectations when visiting the destination. To satisfy their demands, excellence in service and attention is key, one of the aspects most valued by tourists.”.
“This campaign aims to raise awareness in the sector of the importance of this segment, since in the activities most carried out by cruise passengers, such as shopping or enjoying the gastronomy, they have direct contact with professionals and the citizens of the destination.”.
On the other hand, the Director General of the Tourism Board, Arturo Bernal, stated that “the thousands of cruise ship passengers will come eager to explore Malaga. They will want to visit our monuments, sample our cuisine and our traditional wines. They will buy gifts and souvenirs, take photos in our streets, and share images of our city on social media, reaching thousands of people daily in just a few minutes.”.
Therefore, Bernal affirmed, “the perception they take away from Málaga will depend largely on you, on the hospitality and warmth with which you treat them. If you offer them good service and greet them with a smile over their coffee, if you kindly guide them on how to get to a museum, together we will make the sun shine brighter, our cathedral seem taller and more majestic, and we will share our joyful way of life with them so they have an unforgettable day and enjoy a unique experience. That is why 'you are important' and the campaign slogan is 'They come to see you.'”.
