More than 40 international speakers will discuss the growth of marine tourism in the Adriatic region
By
Rebecca Gibson |
More than 40 international speakers from Albania, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Montenegro, Slovenia and other countries will discuss the state of the marine tourism industry at the 2015 Adriatic Sea Forum this April.
Taking place from 23-24 April in Dubrovnik, Croatia, the event has been organised in partnership with Dubronvik Port Authority and the Municipality of Dubrovnik with the support of the Dubrovnik Tourist Board and ACI Marina Dubrovnik. Now in its second year, the international event is dedicated to the various sectors of marine tourism in the Adriatic sea – including cruise, ferry and boating – and was developed by research and consulting firm Risposte Turismo.
“The Adriatic region is one of the leading region for further cruise development,” said Antun Asić, general manager of Dubrovnik Port Authority. “A huge increase of cruise calls and cruise passengers, and other nautical tourism subsystems, puts a serious challenge to all cruise ports alongside the Adriatic coast, regarding their development and improving port facilities. We all need to find the way to deal with all our future challenges."
Delegates will be able to attend six discussion sessions – two plenary and four concurrent – to learn more about marine tourism in the region.
The event will open with a plenary session entitled ‘The Adriatic: a sea, a destination, a brand’ during which speakers from various Adriatic tourism organisations will discuss how to promote the Adriatic as a single tourism destination.
John Tercek, Royal Caribbean International’s vice president of commercial development, will discuss cruise facilities in the Adriatic area during his keynote speech, before delegates head to either the ‘Focus ferry: building new routes’ or ‘Which future for the nautical sector in the Adriatic?’ sessions.
In addition, Francesco di Cesare, Risposte Turismo’s president, will then present the first Adriatic Sea Tourism Report, which offers an analysis of the flow, volume, type and direction of tourism in the area (cruises, ferries and boating) and details the impact it has had on the seven countries with an Adriatic coast.
“The Adriatic area is not only rich in natural beauties and artistic and cultural heritage, but also in extraordinary business and job opportunities,” said Francesco di Cesare, president of Risposte Turismo. “The Adriatic Sea Forum is a project to help take better advantage of such opportunities, focusing the attention on two main elements that can provide an interpretation of the project as a whole. This includes the need to contemplate the forms of tourism and passenger transport by the sea, from nautical tourism to cruise and ferries, and the challenge of building and maintaining the Adriatic as one single touristim destination that is able to compete on a worldwide level.”
The second day will open with a keynote speech from Franz Lamplmair, senior adviser of DG Maritime and Fisheries of the European Commission, about the European Union Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region. Parallel sessions will include ‘Cruise sector to lead Adriatic development’ and ‘The marinas on the Eastern and Western coasts of the Adriatic’.
Adriatic Sea Forum will conclude with ‘The sustainable economic growth of the Adriatic’ plenary session where representatives from the European Commission and international associations will discuss how to manage and promote the economic growth of the Adriatic.