By
Rebecca Gibson |
Barcelona’s cruise industry generates €796 million and contributes €413.2 million a year to Catalonia’s GDP, according to a study commissioned by the Port of Barcelona.
Conducted by the University of Barcelona’s AQR-Lab Laboratory of Applied Economics in collaboration with Barcelona Tourism, the study revealed that on average, each cruise call generates €1.7 million in overall revenues for Barcelona.
Meanwhile, direct expenditure arising from cruise activities amounts to €442.5 million annually. Around €121 million is contributed by the shipping companies, €316 million by the cruise passengers and €5 million by crew members.
Barcelona’s cruise industry provides 3,995 jobs in tourism sectors, as well as 2,764 positions in logistics and food manufacturing companies, the metal and chemical industries, medical services or waste management and sanitation services.
Last year, 2,364,292 cruise passengers passed through the Port of Barcelona. Around 1,360,271 of these cruise guests were in transit, while 565,400 stayed in the city for an average of 2.6 nights and spent around €202 per day. The final 438,621 passengers arrived and departed without an overnight stay.