By
Laura Hyde |
Organisations in the Adriatic are expected to invest more than €390 million ($399 million) to improve maritime tourism infrastructure in the region between 2024 and 2026, according to the Adriatic Sea Tourism Report, which was presented at the seventh edition of Adriatic Sea Forum – cruise, ferry, sail and yacht. Of this, €200 million ($216 million) will be invested directly into the cruise and ferry sector to accommodate increasing passenger ship traffic.
The Adriatic Sea Tourism Report, which was published by research and consulting firm Risposte Turismo, indicates that cruise traffic in the region continues to grow. It is expected to reach over 5.1 million cruise passenger movements in 2025, an increase of 3.9 per cent compared with 2024. As such, Risposte Turismo forecasts cruise ship port calls to rise to more than 3,400 in 2025, an increase of 5.8 per cent compared to 2024.
Risposte Turismo expects significant infrastructure investment in the region over the next three years, with much of the €200 million ($216 million) specifically for the construction of new terminals and maritime stations. A new cruise terminal costing more than €67 million ($72 million) is planned to open in Marghera, Italy, by the end of 2028, and the port of Koper in Slovenia expects to open a new €3 million ($3.2 million) cruise facility by spring 2025. New maritime stations will be created in Ravenna and Bari in Italy and a number of other marinas in the region will be extended, while a new marina is due to open in Valona, Albania, and in Rijeka, Croatia, in 2025 and 2026, respectively.
“In the light of the data that has emerged from our analysis, maritime tourism in the Adriatic is indeed a consolidated phenomenon, which in 2025 will continue to experience moderate but constant growth,” said Francesco di Cesare, president of Risposte Turismo. “I believe these results are due in particular to the rich tourist offer of the area, not only in the light of its historical and artistic heritage and scenery, but also in terms of the infrastructures and services it offers. This increasingly attractive offer is partly thanks to the significant investments we are continuing to see from both private enterprise and public administrations. All this encourages both domestic and international operators to commit to this area and encourages tourists to consider the Adriatic as a possible holiday destination.”
Francesco di Cesare, president of Risposte Turismo, speaking to attendees at the Adriatic Sea Forum
The forecasts outlined in the report are the result of projections carried out by Risposte Turismo. It looked at estimates from more than 20 cruise ports in the Adriatic, which accounted for 84 per cent of the total passenger movements estimated and 83 per cent of calls in 2024.
Although Italy continues to top the rankings for cruise passenger movements, the largest increases are being recorded by the countries on the eastern side of the Adriatic Sea, such as Croatia, with a predicted 5.5 per cent increase in cruise ship calls in 2025. Albania and Montenegro are expecting to record the highest growth in 2025, with the former anticipating a 235 per cent increase in passenger movements, most notably at the port of Sarandë, which will welcome around 70,000 passengers. Meanwhile, Montenegro is predicting a 16 per cent increase in passenger movements compared to 2024. However, the Montenegrin port of Bar is predicting passenger movements to reach 145,000, which is a 203 per cent increase compared to 2024.
The report also identified a two per cent increase in passengers using ferries, hydrofoils and fast catamarans in the region in 2024 compared to 2023, a trend that is projected to continue in 2025, with over 21 million passenger movements forecast for these modes of transport. The ports of Split in Croatia, Igoumenitsa in Greece and Zadar in Croatia are set to remain as the top three ports for ferry, hydrofoil and fast catamaran passenger movements in 2025.
The Adriatic Sea Forum – cruise, ferry, sail and yacht, was hosted in partnership with the Port of Ravenna Authority on 25 and 26 October 2024. Visit the dedicated website to find out more about the two-day event.