A Coruña, July 19, 2018 – The Port of A Coruña will register a new record for cruise traffic next year, surpassing the peak reached in 2017. This was announced today by the President of the Port Authority, Enrique Losada, during the presentation of the Annual Economic Contribution Report, prepared by CLIA Spain (Cruise Lines International Association). The session included a presentation of data on the cruise sector in the Port of A Coruña and an overview of the forecasts for 2019. There are already 130 port calls booked for that year, with approximately 190,000 passengers expected.
Including passengers and crew, it is expected that some 255,000 visitors, the vast majority from abroad, will arrive by sea in the city of A Coruña, generating a significant economic impact. “We estimate that next year the return for the city will be 15 million euros, including port fees and charges, spending by passengers and crew, as well as payments to tour operators, transport companies, and provisions,” explained Enrique Losada during the presentation, emphasizing that the cruise sector is strategic for the Port of A Coruña precisely because of its contribution to the city's economic growth and the boost it gives to tourism. He also highlighted the enormous impact on the destination's international image, especially since the cruise line customers, from numerous countries around the world, are key influencers and are known for their loyalty to the product and their spending power.
The president of the Port Authority indicated that since 2009 there has been exponential growth, increasing from 54,000 passengers to over 184,000 in 2017. A Coruña has positioned itself as the leading port on the Cantabrian-Atlantic coast, from Lisbon to France, both in terms of cruise passengers and port calls. This year, that position is maintained, with a forecast of 160,000 passengers and 50,000 crew members by the end of the year, totaling 210,000 visitors aboard 93 ships. These ships will have made multiple calls on a total of 16 days, thus multiplying the influx of tourists to the city. The 2019 schedule shows another significant leap, with 130 port calls and 22 days of double or multiple berthing, including two triple berths and one quadruple berth.
Cruise traffic also contributes substantially to reducing the seasonality of tourism in A Coruña. This is demonstrated once again in the 2019 calendar, where the peak seasons will be spring and autumn, with 23 ship calls and 35,000 passengers expected in May and 21 calls and 32,000 cruise passengers in October. Large-scale visits will be the norm next year, with a total of 24 calls scheduled from ships with a capacity for more than 3,000 passengers.
The president of the Port Authority clarified that the quantitative assessment of the sector's evolution is not the only important factor. Success is also measured by the quality of clients attracted by the public body, among whom the world's leading cruise lines stand out, demonstrating a high level of loyalty to the A Coruña destination. These include P&O Cruises, with 18 scheduled calls for 2019; Fred Olsen with 17; Aida with 13; MSC Cruises and TUI Cruises with 9 each; and Royal Caribbean with 7. Other iconic companies such as Cruise & Maritime Voyages, Saga Cruises, Costa Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd, Cunard, and Ponant will also be returning with their ships.
Not only will the regulars from the most loyal fleets to the Port of A Coruña dock at its piers, but six newly launched vessels will also arrive, having chosen this destination for their inaugural voyages. In addition, three more cruise ships will be calling at the Transatlantic Pier for the first time, demonstrating the destination's appeal for incorporating new Atlantic routes. Furthermore, the President of the Port Authority highlighted the increased presence of next-generation vessels with hybrid technology (electric propulsion and LNG use), which reduces fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. More special calls are also expected, including visits from "Ultra Luxury" category ships and exploration and adventure cruises with itineraries to unique destinations.
The report presented today analyzes the profile of passengers arriving at the A Coruña docks. British and German tourists predominate in terms of origin, although there is also a significant influx of visitors from other European countries such as Ireland, Austria, France, and the Netherlands. A notable presence of Americans, Canadians, Australians, and Brazilians is also observed. The majority of visitors are English-speaking and typically explore the city by strolling through the La Marina and Parrote area, the Old Town, María Pita Square, and its surroundings. They are generally interested in the local cuisine and shopping in small businesses and leave with a very positive impression of the city, which they choose to visit in over 85% of cases, with only a small percentage opting for excursions to other locations.
Spain is the second largest inbound market and the fourth largest outbound market
Alfredo Serrano, national director of CLIA Spain, presented the annual report on the sector's economic contribution to the Spanish economy. During his presentation, he highlighted that Spain is among the top five countries in Europe that benefit most from the cruise industry and is the fourth largest source market for cruise passengers. Furthermore, it is also the second most popular cruise destination with a strong chance of becoming the leading market.
Between 2015, the date of the last study, and 2017, the total economic impact of cruises in Spain grew by 11%, reaching €4.252 billion. Similarly, the number of direct jobs generated in 2017 rose to 12,718, an 8% increase compared to 2015, and spending on salaries and other compensation amounted to €416 million in 2017, an 11% increase over two years prior.
On the other hand, Serrano highlighted that direct spending on ship maintenance and renewal in 2017 increased by 6.4% compared to 2015, reaching €306 million. In this regard, the consolidation of Navantia Cádiz as a cruise ship renewal and repair hub is noteworthy.
Direct spending by crew and passengers in Spanish destinations in 2017 amounted to 628 million euros, 15% more than in 2015. To this spending must be added the rest of the direct expenses such as those incurred by the shipping companies themselves when the ships are in port or those derived from the repair and remodeling of ships, as well as the indirect and induced impacts to reach 4,252 million euros of total economic impact.
Passengers embarking from Spanish ports spent an average of €154, while passengers on stopovers spent an average of €45. Crew members embarking from Spanish ports spent an average of €9, while those on stopovers spent an average of €22.
Regarding Galician ports, Alfredo Serrano noted that "it is especially relevant that the port of A Coruña has grown by 45% from 2016 to 2017, reaching 184,069 passenger movements accumulated since January, and that 2 of the Galician ports are among the 10 Spanish ports with the highest cruise passenger traffic.".
