The Spanish port system, made up of 46 ports of general interest managed by 28 Port Authorities and coordinated by State Ports, will be present at the FITUR tourism fair presenting a wide range of services and facilities for cruise tourism, recreational boating and the accommodation offer of the “Lighthouses of Spain” program.
Cruise tourism continues to grow year after year, becoming one of the main attractions for ports of general interest. These ports, along with local authorities, regional governments, and private sector initiatives, have positioned Spain as one of the world's leading cruise destinations. The record set in 2018, with over 10.1 million cruise passengers and 4,360 cruise ships, will most likely be surpassed in 2019. Data from the end of November indicated a 4.5% growth, which would mean exceeding 10.5 million cruise passengers in 2019.
In this regard, it is worth remembering that Spain, and specifically the port of Malaga, will host the European meeting of the cruise sector, Seatrade Cruise Med 2020, which will be held from September 15 to 17, and will bring together the main global operators in the sector, as well as the main destination ports in the world, shipbuilders, equipment and technology companies, engineering firms, travel agencies, product suppliers…
Regarding recreational boating, it's worth noting that Spain's 28 Port Authorities offer nearly 30,000 berths, representing one-third of all berths in Spain. Furthermore, ports of general interest account for half of the 27 facilities dedicated to megayachts, large recreational vessels. This sector has become increasingly important for Spanish tourism, contributing approximately 0.7% to the national GDP and more than 110,000 jobs. According to data from the National Association of Nautical Companies, registrations of these types of vessels grew by over 9.6% in 2019, with 6,080 boats registered that year.
Finally, the "Lighthouses of Spain" project, an initiative that aims to enhance and repurpose the network of 187 lighthouses along the Spanish coast for hospitality, offers visitors the option of staying in the available facilities. Currently, two lighthouses are already open for accommodation (Punta Cumplida on the island of La Palma and Isla Pancha in Ribadeo); the Corrubedo Lighthouse in Ribeira is under renovation; and the Punta Insúa Lighthouse, located on the point of the same name that separates the Corcubión and Muros-Noya estuaries, is completing the necessary administrative procedures to become a hotel.
