Cruise ships contribute €256 million to the Balearic economy, representing 1.04% of Gross Value Added (GVA), and support 5,733 direct and indirect jobs. This data comes from the preliminary study on the economic impact of cruise ships in the Balearic Islands, presented this morning by the Balearic Port Authority (APB).
The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) commissioned this study in collaboration with the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), the Chamber of Commerce of Mallorca, and the Balearic Institute of Social Studies (IBES). The analysis covers the period from 2005 to 2016 and concludes with data collected up to September 2017. It includes information on the main stakeholders in the cruise industry: cruise passengers, crew, shipping companies and agents, as well as investment data and airport activity.
According to the president of the APB, Joan Gual de Torrella, this study concludes the diversifying and redistributive effect of the wealth generated by this sector in our community, as well as the influence of cruise ship tourists on the tourist destination, with 95% of those surveyed recommending the Balearic Islands to their friends and family.
According to Gual, this work brings rigor over "emotion" and makes it clear that there are figures "that, in the event that there were no cruises, would not be generated" and he gave the example that each stop generates more than half a million euros in the destination.
Higher spending per passenger
According to the economic impact study, the average daily expenditure per cruise passenger is €72 for transit passengers and €155 for homebound cruise passengers. It's worth noting that the average expenditure of tourists using any other type of tourism in the Balearic Islands was €112.90, according to EGATUR data from 2015.
Among the ports, Palma generates the greatest impact, as it is the only home port in the Balearic Islands. Data collected places the figures for this port at €224 million. It is followed by the port of Alcúdia with €125 million, Ibiza with €25 million, and finally Mahón with €6.5 million.
The direct impact per transit passenger is €62.6 million, while the average cruise passenger represents an expenditure of €28.4 million. Equally significant is the spending by the crew of these ships, who take advantage of port calls to shop. The study estimates the expenditure of ship personnel at €14 million.
The sectors that benefit most from this economic activity are accommodation in tourist establishments, for homeport cruises, and shopping and catering for transit cruises.
The presentation was attended by – in addition to the president of the APB – Francesc Sastre, professor of applied economics at the UIB, Catalina Barceló, director of Studies at the Chamber of Commerce of Mallorca and Gonzalo Adán, Director of the Balearic Institute of Social Studies (IBES).
