The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) supports the signing of the Manifesto for Sustainable Cruise Tourism in the port of Palma between the Government of the Balearic Islands and the shipping companies that operate on the island, showing once again its commitment to responsible tourism.
The Manifesto, which will last for five years, seeks to facilitate the management of cruise ship calls at the port of Palma, by staggering their arrival times and flattening activity peaks.
The President of the Balearic Government, Francina Armengol, stated that this collaboration “would not have been possible without the willingness of the sector” and thanked the shipping companies and CLIA for understanding the unique characteristics of the Balearic Islands and Palma, which was fundamental to reaching the agreement.
For her part, CLIA's Managing Director for Europe, Marie-Caroline Laurent, pointed out that “one of the defining characteristics of the cruise industry is its commitment to responsible tourism. Through the signing of this Memorandum with the Government of the Balearic Islands, the cruise lines are once again demonstrating their commitment to working with destinations to develop even more sustainable tourism, benefiting local communities.” Alfredo Serrano, CLIA's Director for Spain, emphasized the importance of the Memorandum: “The industry approached the dialogue with the Government with an open mind and a willingness to listen to different perspectives and contribute concrete solutions. Today's announcement is the result of this collaboration and will address the specific needs of Palma. This is important because cruise tourism contributes more than €500 million to the Balearic Islands annually and generates more than 4,000 jobs.”.
As part of its commitment to responsible tourism, the industry is also leading the way in developing green shipping. Reducing the carbon footprint of its ships is a top priority, and companies are making significant investments in advanced environmental technologies and collaborating with cities and ports to achieve this goal. The industry is making progress and has recently announced its commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
