By
Rebecca Gibson |
German passengers were the most frequent visitors at Denmark’s Copenhagen Malmö Port (CMP) during the 2013 cruise season, which ends in December with five Christmas cruises.
German guests comprised around a quarter of the total passenger number, while other passengers included visitors from the US, Canada, the UK, Italy, Spain and Australia.
CMP handled 346 cruise visits and more than 800,000 passengers in 2013, experiencing its busiest month in June with 88 calls. July and August were also busy, with the port welcoming 86 and 74 visits in each respective month. The majority of these calls were transit calls, which enabled passengers to spend around seven hours in Copenhagen, while around 46% were turnaround calls.
Malmö also handled turnaround calls for the first time, with Spanish cruise operator Pullmantur’s Empress visiting ten times with more than 36,000 passengers.
“Copenhagen has become the natural hub for cruise traffic in northern Europe,” said Arnt Møller Pedersen, COO of cruise and ferries at CMP. “We continue to be competitive and are attracting both new and returning guests. The location of the port in the capital is perfect. The airport is close by and Copenhagen is a city that attracts many different types of shipping lines and guests – there is something for everyone here.”
In 2014, CMP will open a new cruise quay to accommodate 500 calls a year and improve its turnaround facilities with three additional terminal buildings.
Pedersen said: “We are pleased to be able to contribute to the development of the tourist industry by creating the best possible conditions for cruise traffic.”