Melilla was the focus of the cruise industry yesterday, hosting the MELILLA CRUISE FORUM 2018, an event that brought together the local, national, and international cruise industry in the autonomous city. The event was organized by Cruises News Media Group, an international consultancy specializing in the promotion and dissemination of information about the cruise industry and organizer of the International Cruise Summit.
The celebration of this event is the result of an initiative by the Port Authority of Melilla, the Maritime Station, and Melilla Autonomous City Tourism. This forum took place at the Tryp Melilla Puerto Hotel, located next to the marina and other port facilities.
The event was inaugurated by the Minister of Economy of the Autonomous City of Melilla, Daniel Conesa, the President of the Port Authority of Melilla, Miguel Marín Cobos, and the President of the Melilla Tourism Board, Javier Mateo. All three expressed Melilla's willingness to work together on the development of this type of tourism, which the city will welcome with open arms, recognizing that they are laying the groundwork for a strategy that will bear fruit in a few years.
Luis José Ayala, Director of the Port Authority of Melilla, began the session by presenting the port facilities and the beauty of Melilla as a tourist destination.
Emiliano González, President of MSC Cruises Spain and representative of CLIA (Cruise Lines Industry Association), offered an overview of the state of the global cruise industry, with a forecast of 27.2 million global passengers for 2018, 5.5% more than the previous year.
Next, Chris Martin, Port Operations Director for Holland America Group, Seabourn, and Princess, presented his company's various cruise brands and what they expect to find in a cruise port and destination. Following this, Fatima Traikia, from BC Tours Shoreside & Port Services, discussed the role of shore-based operators in the cruise industry and the requirements for operating excursions and providing consignment services.
Luis de Carvalho, CEO of BA Europe, gave a presentation on the key elements for building and developing a cruise destination, followed by an analysis of a local success story: the Port of Cartagena. Fernando Muñoz, Commercial Director of the Cartagena Port Authority, detailed the steps taken by his port and city to increase the number of cruise passengers sixfold in nine years.
Finally, a round table discussion featuring Emiliano González, President of MSC Cruises Spain; Mario Sennacheribbo, CEO of BC Agency; Monica Georgiou, Operations Manager of Columbia Cruise Services; and Leire Azcuna, Senior Manager of Itinerary Planning at Pullmantur Cruises, addressed the opportunities in the still-young sector with significant growth potential. Attendees were able to ask questions directly to the panelists, leading to a very positive overall impression and the belief that Melilla should showcase its potential to the world through strategy and collaboration.
The day before the forum, several of the participating executives were able to experience the city's tourist attractions firsthand through familiarization visits that took them to the most representative tourist sites, allowing them to appreciate the local hospitality and sample the local cuisine, and they were all pleasantly surprised.
Both the organizers and the promoters highlighted the possibility of turning this forum into an annual event as a tool for disseminating knowledge, promoting the destination, and evaluating its development.
At the end of the event, a cocktail reception was offered to all attendees at the hotel itself to encourage networking between the local industry and the guests.
