A boost for cruise tourism
The Patronat de Turisme Costa Brava Girona, the Port Authority of the Catalan Government, Palamós Town Council and the Palamós Chamber of Commerce reach an agreement to promote cruise ship activity in Palamós port.
MARCH 2014
On 10th May, Enric Vilert, President of the Patronat de Turisme Costa Brava Girona, Manel Nadal, Secretary for Mobility and President of the Port Authority of the Catalan Government, Maria Teresa Ferrés, Mayor of Palamós, and Xavier Ribera, President of the Chamber of Commerce of Palamós, signed a collaboration agreement to foster, boost and promote cruise ship activity in Palamós port and to consolidate the Empordà area and the Costa Brava as a tourist destination for cruise ship passengers.
Through this collaboration agreement, the Port Authority of the Catalan Government, the Patronat de Turisme Costa Brava Girona, Palamós Town Council and the Chamber of Commerce of Palamós will implement a series of joint initiatives in the form of an action plan. This plan is designed to boost cruise ship passenger traffic, attract new companies, strengthen existing relationships with cruise lines, increase the number of stopovers and cement the loyalty of companies that are already familiar with Palamós as a brand in its own right. It is also aimed at fostering the development of the tourism offer associated with the cruise ship sector, encompassing the town of Palamós and its area of influence.
As part of this agreement, in November the four organisations will participate in the Seatrade Med fair in Cannes (France). One of the plan’s first initiatives is the organisation of a familiarisation trip for foreign journalists who will come to find out about the port and its surrounding area. The plan also includes the creation of promotional material and the holding of meetings with representatives of the cruise ship industry and with tour operators.
These initiatives will be implemented through the Work Group set up in 2008 by the four signatory organisations of the agreement. The group is working on the promotion of Palamós port as a cruise ship destination, as well as the promotion of the town and its surroundings, through workshops, conferences and national/international forums of the cruise ship sector. This year the Work Group has already taken part in the Seatrade fair in Miami (USA).
36,000 passengers for this season
In 2010 it is estimated that Palamós port will receive 38 cruise ship stopovers and 36,000 passengers, representing a 19% increase in stopovers and a 7% increase in passengers in respect of 2009. If these figures are achieved it may become the port’s best cruise ship season.
