Tarragona will host a conference on Thursday, October 20, 2022, in which top professionals from the cruise and large yacht industries will try to shed light on the initiatives they are implementing in terms of sustainability and environmental care.
These two maritime sectors are constantly under scrutiny from the public and the media due to their reputation for pollution and, in the case of cruises, for overtourism. However, cruises are at the forefront of the maritime industry in the development and use of new technologies and fuels that reduce atmospheric emissions, and their sustainability programs reach levels rarely seen in other companies. The economic impact of this form of tourism on the host region is substantial, as, on average, each cruise passenger spends a total of €660 in the destinations visited during a seven-day cruise, according to a study by the CLIA organization.
Similarly, recreational boating is rapidly adapting to an increasingly demanding environmental landscape. Spanish marinas and leisure boating place the Spanish coast among the most attractive and sustainable in Europe, with a significant local economic and social impact.
Both sectors are increasingly deepening their Corporate Social Responsibility policies, generating quality jobs with equal opportunities and diversity.
Both cruise ships and mega yachts require support infrastructure in ports and marinas to meet the most advanced environmental and sustainability objectives. That is why the Port of Tarragona and Marina Port Tarraco are the driving force behind this event, which will be attended by prominent executives from cruise lines such as MSC, Costa Cruises and Silversea Cruises, port terminals, marinas, shipping agents and mega yacht shipyards.
The event, developed by CruisesNews Media Group and AWP Services in collaboration with CLIA, will be held from 9 a.m. to 1:20 p.m. at the Teatret del Serrallo, in Moll de Pescadors 1, and is aimed at and open to tourism professionals, businesspeople, agencies, cruise lines, and the nautical industry, as well as media and the general public.
Josep Maria Cruset i Domènech, President of the Port Authority of Tarragona, will open the day with a presentation on cruise activity in Tarragona. Following this, Alfredo Serrano, National Director of CLIA Spain, will speak about the latest advances in sustainability within the cruise industry, and then Alba Colet, Commercial Manager of Tarragona Cruise Port, will show attendees what the future Tarragona Cruise Terminal will look like.
A round table with leading executives from the cruise sector, moderated by Virginia López Valiente, CEO of CruisesNews Media Group, will analyze the advances in sustainability, before giving way to a second part of the event focused on the large yacht sector with Pablo Peiró, Manager of the Spanish Association of Large Yachts commenting on the general situation of the large yacht sector, followed by Antonio Zaforteza, CEO of Ocibar, who will detail the economic impact of mega yacht terminals such as Port Tarraco and the other terminals managed by Ocibar.
A second panel discussion moderated by Eva Miquel Subías, partner at AWP Services, with directors of marinas, shipyards and other involved companies, will analyze the economic impact and sustainability of recreational boating.
Finally, Pau Riomà, the Honorable Mayor of Tarragona, will bring the event to a close.
