The State's general interest port system, made up of 46 ports managed by 28 Port Authorities and coordinated by State Ports, is presented at the International Tourism Fair (FITUR) with a complete offer for those who want to arrive in our country through the facilities for cruise ships and marinas for recreational boating, in the heart of the cities.
According to Francisco Toledo, president of State Ports, “the ports are prepared to receive cruise ships and recreational vessels with all the health, safety, and protection measures established by the Ministries of Health and Transport. We hope that international cruise activity can resume in June, with the necessary authorization from the Ministry of Health, as is already happening with domestic cruises.”
Among the projects that Puertos del Estado (State Ports Authority) is working on, Toledo announced the development of an app that will allow passengers to generate a QR code on their mobile phones, facilitating and making passenger arrival at ports safer. In addition, the reinforcement of medical and nursing staff for passenger screening at arrival ports is already underway, in coordination with the Port Health Authority.
Of the world's 50 largest cruise lines, only 8 are operating with relative normality during May, 17 will resume operations in June, and the remaining 25 have postponed the start of their operations until July and August. Some neighboring countries, such as Italy and Portugal, have already restarted their cruise activity, and others, such as France, have announced that they will do so at the end of June or the beginning of July of this year.
Cruises and recreational boating have become alternatives to traditional tourism. In 2019, nearly 11 million people chose to visit and explore Spain aboard 4,236 cruise ships. These figures have made Spain the second most popular cruise destination in the EU, behind Italy, and ports like Barcelona and those in the Balearic Islands, with 3.1 and 2.6 million passengers respectively, are now global leaders.
Regarding recreational boating, nearly 30,000 moorings, one-third of all those in Spain, are located within the facilities of one of Spain's 28 Port Authorities. 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 provided by the National Association of Nautical Companies.
