By Virginia López Valiente
Managing Director of Cruises News Media Group and Editor of CruisesNews magazine
Editorial from CruisesNews magazine no. 71 – December 2024
I want to share on these pages my opening speech from the International Cruise Summit 2024.
“We are all gathered here with a common purpose: the desire to propel our sector forward and address the challenges it faces. I would like to begin by highlighting the importance of an event like this, where the exchange of knowledge and experience can become the driving force that allows us to move forward, but to do so in an informed and responsible manner.”.
In a world where information is an invaluable resource, it is also our responsibility to ensure that this information is accurate, thorough, and useful for daily decision-making. Misinformation, and especially false information, are obstacles that affect all industries, but in the cruise industry, where accuracy and safety are paramount, these obstacles can have a disproportionate impact. That is why this conference is a vital opportunity to clarify doubts, dispel misconceptions, and ensure that each of us, in our various roles, has a deep understanding of all areas of our sector.
Our industry doesn't just connect destinations; it connects people, cultures, and visions of a future where customer experience, respect for the environment, and safety are essential. We are part of one of the world's most advanced industries, one that has overcome technological and sustainability challenges, leading with innovation and a pioneering spirit. But to continue moving forward, we must commit to knowing and understanding every piece of this great machine.
Here at the International Cruise Summit, we find that space to learn, share, and collaborate. Let's seize this opportunity to grow together, with our sights set on a safer, more innovative, and more transparent future for the cruise industry
This short speech was aimed at professionals in this sector, from many countries around the world, motivated to learn more, to know more about the sector in which they work, and that through this knowledge they can grow and combat the greatest evils we suffer from: misinformation and hoaxes.
Last week we had the opportunity to address a local audience on the Costa Brava at an event focused on the blue economy in the cruise and superyacht sectors. We were delighted that the attendees appreciated the wealth of information brought directly to the destination and to the public. There are so many misconceptions about the cruise industry's responsibility for environmental pollution, overcrowding, and rising prices that when we explained, point by point, the investment in new technologies, new fuels, recycling, self-sufficiency in drinking water, the elimination of single-use plastics, waste treatment, the reduction of organic waste, employment, and the real economic impact of this industry, they attributed a lack of effort in communication strategies to the sector. When we mentioned, observing their astonished reaction, that there are actually just over 320 ocean-going cruise ships in the world, of all sizes, including those with fewer than 100 passengers, they understood that the problems facing the oceans and global warming cannot be attributed to such a small number. I couldn't agree more; the communication isn't getting through, the message isn't reaching those who need it. "We need to take a good look at this.".
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