They agree to join forces to create a differentiated brand that will win over shipping companies and visitors.
The Port Authority of Huelva organized a workshop that brought together more than 40 professionals involved in cruise tourism to coordinate tourism offerings, services, and support for cruise lines, as well as to create a brand recognized and valued by visitors in order to boost cruise tourism.
This was highlighted by the President of the Port Authority of Huelva, Manuela de Paz, and the Port Director, Pedro García, during the opening of the meeting, which was attended by tourism and transport companies, institutions and business organizations, state security forces, and cruise line representatives, among others.
De Paz emphasized the need to be prepared to receive the arrival of hundreds of tourists to the province through the Port of Huelva, who will return if they are satisfied with their visit, which will have a positive impact on various sectors of the provincial economy. In this regard, the President of the Port of Huelva noted that eight cruise ship calls are scheduled for 2015.
For his part, cruise tourism expert Luis de Carvalho delivered a comprehensive presentation addressing the need to raise awareness about cruise tourism in the province, establish a work plan, create business opportunities, promote training and education in this industry, and set goals.
The cruise consultant emphasized the importance of creating a brand for Huelva that differentiates the destination from competitors in order to meet passenger demand. This would also help cruise lines achieve a return on their investment, as this, along with safety, is one of the reasons companies choose one port over another.
Luis de Carvalho also stressed the need for cruise lines to include the Port of Huelva in their itineraries.
Regarding services for tourists visiting the province and city of Huelva, the expert emphasized the importance of restaurants and bars adapting their opening hours to visitors' needs, as well as providing attentive service.
Luis de Carvalho highlighted the diverse range of excursions available in the province, which, combined with its proximity to the historic city of Seville, could be very attractive to cruise lines. In this context, a survey of cruise lines and tourists about Huelva revealed a lack of awareness of the destination. Hence the need to join forces to create an original and appealing tourism offering. He also stressed the importance of training tour guides with strong language skills to ensure complete visitor satisfaction.
Participants in the workshops took part in working groups to promote the destination, developing proposals for improvements related to guides, visitor reception upon arrival at the port, tourist information, and excursions, among other suggestions.
The day concluded with a visit to various emblematic sites in the city of Huelva. Participants had the opportunity to explore diverse tourist attractions in the province, such as the Riotinto Mines, the Columbus Sites, and El Rocío, among others.
