Some of the most important voices in the cruise industry will meet on September 27 in Madeira for an international conference: the CAI Conference 2024.
The event, promoted by the Madeira Ports Administration (APRAM, SA), takes as its starting point the 30th anniversary of the first Cruise Atlantic Islands (CAI) meeting, while also aiming to focus on the future of this Atlantic region in the increasingly competitive global cruise market.
“This conference offers an opportunity to reflect on the cruise tourism industry in this Atlantic region and worldwide, seeking the best solutions to the increasingly competitive challenges facing the CAI,” emphasized Paula Cabaço, Chair of the Board of Directors of Ports of Madeira, highlighting the focus on sustainability, port decarbonization, the energy transition, the circular economy, and technological innovation as “essential” topics to be addressed. “Always within a joint strategy.”
CAI began by grouping the ports of Madeira and the Canary Islands, adding Cape Verde in 2006 and, since last year, the Azores. Currently, it represents a market of 3.3 million cruise tourists, presenting itself in the increasingly competitive global cruise sector as a differentiated itinerary product based on the unique and complementary identities of the Atlantic islands of Macaronesia. As a brand, CAI has participated in the main industry events: Seatrade, MedCruise, the International Cruise Summit , and Cruise Week Europe.
"We want to celebrate this partnership, which was born from a meeting held on September 19, 1994 in Funchal between the port authorities of Madeira and the Canary Islands, and the maritime agents of the two archipelagos," says Paula Cabaço, considering that this conference is the right time to talk about the future.
The CAI Conference 2024 will bring together members of CAI Madeira, the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, and the Azores, along with invited guests, tour operators, companies, industry professionals, government officials, tourism entertainment companies, and national and international journalists. CLIA Europe Vice President Nikos Mertzanidis will co-host the conference.
«It will also be an opportunity to showcase the best of Madeira, and the work that has been carried out in the Port of Funchal, which has earned international recognition, such as the two nominations for the World Cruise Awards: Best Cruise Terminal in the World in terms of Sustainability; and Best Cruise Destination in Europe.»
It is worth remembering that Madeira won the award for Best Cruise Destination in Europe at the World Cruise Awards in 2022 and 2023.
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