The Madrid cruise congress successfully brought together the most important players in the cruise industry.
The International Cruise Summit 2015, organized by CruisesNews Media Group, took place on November 18 and 19, and was a resounding success.
The inauguration was led by the President of State Ports, José Llorca, who emphasized the institutional support for the cruise industry's widespread development and appreciation in Spain, while also addressing any existing legislative obstacles. At the same time, he expressed his disagreement with those who view cruise ships as a threat to the lifestyle of residents in port cities and highlighted the excellent infrastructure already in place in Spain.
During the presentations, Raphael Von Heereman, Secretary General of CLIA Europe, highlighted the industry's enormous economic contribution to the European economy, which amounts to €1.2 billion in Spain alone. Regarding the industry's future, some challenges were emphasized, such as environmental restrictions and the lack of infrastructure for waste disposal, as well as the significant opportunity that Cuba's opening to cruise tourism will represent.
The congress had some special moments, notably the interview conducted by Virginia López, Director of Cruisesnews and host of the event, with Neil Palomba, President of Costa Cruises. Palomba asserted his company's European leadership based on the European origin of its customers, regardless of where its ships are based. He revealed that in their next generation of ships, they will focus on creating spaces that can be used throughout the day, not just during specific hours.
Although the future of the cruise industry also involves development in Asia, Marcus Puttich, Head of Port Operations at TUI Cruises, clarified that not all new ships are being sent to China, and that Europe will continue to receive new vessels, making investment in infrastructure and security crucial. In fact, cruise port associations provide their members with a strategic vision on how to direct investment and are seen as excellent partners by cruise lines.
For the first time, river cruises had their own space at the International Cruise Summit, showing how this way of traveling is growing exponentially every year.
During this edition of the event, participants had the opportunity to discuss the presentations, ask questions, and also interact through the event app by voting for or against some of the proposed ideas, which generated new discussions that clarified doubts and reinforced the content.
All information about the INTERNATIONAL CRUISE SUMMIT 2015 can be found at: www.internationalcruisesummit.com
FOR MORE INFORMATION :
Information@internationalcruisesummit.com
