The president of the Port Authority of A Coruña, Martín Fernández Prado, outlined the details of the Excellence Cruise Awards gala, which will be held today, June 29th at 8:00 p.m. in the Rosalía de Castro Theater with more than 200 guests, including institutional representatives and members of the cruise industry.
He was accompanied at the event by the First Deputy Mayor, Juan Ignacio Borrego; the Director of Tourism of Galicia, Nava Castro; and the CEO of the organizing entity, Cruises News Media Group, Virginia López Valiente. They all emphasized the importance of holding this event in A Coruña, which brings together the main players in the cruise industry in Spain and internationally. On the one hand, it recognizes the excellent state of the sector in A Coruña, with record figures this year, and on the other, it provides an opportunity to celebrate the return of these cruise lines, which were suspended due to the pandemic, shortly after the previous edition of this event, which A Coruña also hosted.
Fernández Prado expressed his gratitude that Cruises News Media Group had once again chosen A Coruña and Galicia to host these highly prestigious awards, adding that the cruise sector is very important for the Port and that it is a pleasure to collaborate with Galicia and the city on their tourism development policies. The contribution of these cruise ships to A Coruña's international profile is crucial, with figures this year expected to surpass the record set in 2017.
Furthermore, the president of the public body highlighted the happy coincidence that today marks the 145th anniversary of the establishment of the Port Works Board of A Coruña, which later gave way to the current Port Authority, so "today we enjoy a double celebration.".
For her part, Nava Castro highlighted Turismo de Galicia's commitment to organizing this gala and to the cruise sector in the region, not only for its economic contribution but also because cruise passengers become ambassadors for Galicia, playing a vital role as promoters of the destination. In this regard, she emphasized that it is precisely the travelers who decide the winners of these awards through their votes in surveys conducted by the organizing body.
Juan Ignacio Borrego also spoke positively about the system for selecting the award winners. He congratulated the Port Authority on the figures achieved in this year's calendar and also on the 145th anniversary of the Board of Works.
The general manager of Cruises News Media Group, Virginia López Valiente, expressed her gratitude that A Coruña is once again hosting the gala, which is celebrating its fifteenth anniversary and has established itself as one of the major events for the cruise industry. She added that it also provides significant promotion for the host port, as its status as a venue is highlighted in all communications disseminated by the shipping companies.
