The Blue Growth Committee for Cruise Tourism at the Port of Vigo has proposed extending visits to the Cíes Islands archipelago beyond the peak season, which runs from May 15 to September 15, as an attraction for the thousands of cruise passengers who visit the Port of Vigo outside of these dates. In fact, with 20 scheduled calls, October 2023 is currently the month with the most calls next year, including two triple calls and two double calls.
In this regard, the Committee has raised the possibility of studying alternative leisure offerings throughout the year, thus avoiding the concentration during the summer months, since more and more cruises are arriving in Vigo during the autumn and winter months, among which luxury, premium and expedition cruises stand out, among whose peculiarities they offer their passengers the possibility of getting to know the so-called "Islands of the Gods" more closely.
For the members of this working group, made up of the Vigo Port Authority itself, the Xunta de Galicia, service companies, merchants, hoteliers, shipping companies, health officials, State Security Forces and Corps or consignees, among others, the solution would be to allow visits to the archipelago beyond September 15, thus offering the possibility of getting to know the islands out of season.
They also champion the success of initiatives such as nighttime visits to the islands, where visitors can enjoy the starry skies of a natural area certified as one of the world's fourteen "Starlight Tourist Destinations" and bearing the "Observer Seal" certification. The Atlantic Islands Maritime-Terrestrial National Park has held this certification since 2017. The National Park received this recognition for its excellent conditions for stargazing, offering visitors the opportunity to observe stars and astrological phenomena in a sky free of light pollution.
Candidates for World Heritage status within the Atlantic Islands, the Cíes Islands have received numerous international accolades: the newspaper "The Guardian" designated Rodas beach as the best in the world in 2007 and, this same year, "The New York Times" placed the islands on the list of destinations for 2022.
