The Port Authority of Valencia has unveiled a new promotional video for the city, designed to introduce Valencia to cruise lines. The Port Authority also presented this year's cruise passenger figures and forecasts for next year at its headquarters.
Valencia will end the year with the arrival of 400,000 cruise passengers, according to the president of the Port Authority, Aurelio Martínez.
The president of the Port Authority of Valencia (APV) highlighted the increase in cruise ship arrivals this year. This represents a 12% increase compared to 2015, while the percentage of ship arrivals is up 15%.
The President of the Valencia Tourism Foundation and First Deputy Mayor of the city, Sandra Gómez López, highlighted that the arrival of travelers to Valencia has increased in recent years, emphasizing that this situation has been possible thanks to the work of private and public institutions.
Also present at the presentation were Francesca Antonelli, marketing director, Manuel Rodríguez, director of shipping companies and Antonio Bernabé, director of Tourism Valencia.
The forecast for 2017 is also optimistic with the arrival of 452,000 cruise passengers and 212 port calls, 31 more than this year.
Cruise tourism reached its turning point in 2007 and in the years following the America's Cup sailing regatta. The increase in port calls facilitated the construction of new berths in the northern expansion of the port, as well as strengthened efforts to attract cruise lines. This year, 70% of port calls have been in transit and 30% as homeports, the latter being considered the most profitable option for the cities.
24% of tourists visiting Valencia are Italian, while 14% are German and 11% are British. The American market remains a minority in this sector, with tourists from that country accounting for only 6.5%.
