The Port Authority president is leading the delegation attending Seatrade Cruise Global, which is being held in a renovated space in Fort Lauderdale after 27 editions in Miami.
The meeting will showcase A Coruña's offering as a top-tier Atlantic destination and the advantages for passengers of improving connections to the city via the Marina-Parrote axis.
The Port of A Coruña is once again present at the trade fair, which this year is being held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and not in Miami as in the previous 27 editions. A delegation from the Port Authority of A Coruña, headed by its president, Enrique Losada, is attending the Seatrade Cruise Global event, which offers a revamped space with more room for exhibitors and participants.
A Coruña is participating in the State Ports Authority's exhibition space, aiming to showcase its offerings as an Atlantic destination. In the upcoming meetings, representatives from the Port Authority will present the port's competitive advantages, not only in terms of tariffs and fees, but also regarding the quality of service to ships, the accessibility of the docks located in the city center, and tourism products for cruise passengers. Special emphasis will be placed on presenting the results of the completed project on the Marina-Parrote axis, which significantly improves pedestrian access for cruise passengers entering the city center from the Transatlantic Pier and will provide a new incentive as a leisure, promenade, and sports area.
During this trade fair, meetings will be held with representatives from the world's leading cruise lines, some of which already have a presence in the port of A Coruña, as well as tour operators, service companies, and all types of port entities and institutions related to tourism management. A comprehensive information program will also be offered to learn about the latest trends in cruise traffic, as well as a wide range of the most modern products and services in this sector.
These meetings aim not only to attract new clients but also to strengthen and expand existing business relationships with many companies. Shipping companies are investing in the Port of A Coruña by including it in the routes of their new vessels. Proof of this is the two visits scheduled for 2016 by two ships chartered this year: the<Mein Schiff 5> , from the German shipping company TUI, and the<Koningsdam> , from Holland America Line.
The schedule planned for this year includes around one hundred port calls and approximately 140,000 passengers. These figures demonstrate the consolidation of cruise traffic in the city, following the surge that began in 2009. In five years, the number of cruise passengers has tripled, representing a significant benefit for the city's service sector and generating a pull effect by promoting the city as a destination.
