January 24, 2019 (Ministry of Public Works). Spain has achieved a privileged position in the global cruise tourism sector, surpassing 10 million cruise ship passengers for the first time in its history. This figure makes Spain the second-largest cruise passenger destination in Europe, with several Spanish ports ranking among the top in Europe and even among the top 50 ports in the world, such as the ports of Barcelona, the Balearic and Canary Islands, Málaga, Valencia, Cádiz, Cartagena, and Vigo. Therefore, Puertos del Estado (State Ports Authority) is highlighting, through its presence at Fitur (International Tourism Fair), the importance of cruise tourism and recreational boating to the Spanish economy.
In the last 25 years, the volume of cruise passengers has multiplied by 18, going from just over 480,000 visitors in 1992, to the aforementioned 10 million in 2018.
According to experts, our country still has great growth potential. Factors such as the reduction of seasonality, the diversification of destinations, the strengthening of our ports as embarkation/disembarkation points, combined with cheaper air and sea transport, have made cruises accessible to a broad segment of the population, with very competitive prices and a wide variety of options.
This situation also applies to scheduled ferry traffic , which is likewise steadily increasing tourist arrivals year after year. In 2018, the total number of passengers on scheduled routes reached 26 million , an increase of over 4% compared to the previous year . Although the majority of these routes are concentrated on connections between the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa, as well as inter-island routes, those linking Spain with Italy, the United Kingdom, and Ireland are becoming increasingly important
- A SECTOR THAT ACCOUNTS FOR 26,500 JOBS, WITH A TURNOVER OF €1.255 BILLION
The importance of ports and cruise tourism as drivers of the Spanish economy is undeniable. The cruise industry's contribution to our economy is significant, generating over €1.255 billion in revenue in Spain ; providing direct, indirect, and induced employment for more than 26,400 people ; and representing 10.9% of the national tourism sector's GDP . Furthermore, cruise tourism promotes other regions of the country, including domestic tourism.
- SPORTS BOATING AND LIGHTHOUSES COMPLETE THE PORT TOURIST OFFER
Alongside cruise ship offerings, and taking advantage of the prime location of their port facilities, Spanish ports provide citizens with the opportunity to enjoy marinas and nautical-sports areas , which together offer nearly 30,000 berths. The existence of these nautical-sports areas in our ports fosters "transition" spaces between urban areas and the commercial port, spaces that are absolutely essential to ensure the proper management and integration of the interests of both the city and the port.
According to the latest available studies, recreational boating (construction, repair, related industries, and services) contributes approximately 0.7% to the national GDP and more than 110,000 direct and indirect jobs. In short, this sector is a crucial element in Spain's economic development, closely linked to another key sector of our economy: tourism and leisure.
Another more recent option, but one with a long tradition in neighboring countries, is the possibility of staying in one of the 187 lighthouses scattered along the Spanish coast. In this way, the Ministry of Public Works and State Ports are enhancing the social value of lighthouses, due to their historical and technical legacy, through the "LIGHTHOUSES OF SPAIN" project, highlighting their importance to society, especially now that certain spaces have fallen into disuse due to lighthouse automation.
