The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) held its third annual Ports and Destinations Summit in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, bringing together 225 delegates from 27 countries representing the global cruise industry. This event preceded SeatradeCruiseMed, the largest cruise industry gathering in Europe.
The Ports and Destinations Summit provided an opportunity for networking and open dialogue on topics of particular relevance to port authorities, port agencies, tourism organizations, tour operators, and cruise lines. One of the main issues addressed during the summit focused on the role of the port community and destinations in relation to the growth of the global cruise industry.
“This year, we wanted to enhance the Summit to encourage participation and allow attendees to learn about our program firsthand,” explained Adam Sharp, Port Operations and Customer Service Manager for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa at Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. “During the Itinerary Planning Workshop, best practices implemented in ports and destinations were highlighted to enable us to work more effectively with cruise lines.”.
More than 45 cruise line executives attended a day of networking sessions, meetings, discussions, and high-level debates. The opening ceremony was led by Michael Tamm, CEO of the Costa Group, who kicked off the summit by highlighting the day's key issues.
