Cruise & Ferry Itinerary Planning 2020

6 0 MEDITERRANEAN: V IEWPOINT A proactive approach to cruising By Josep Maria Cruset, Port of Tarragona Josep Maria Cruset explains how the Port of Tarragona is still looking to the future while adapting to the new challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic A government ban on cruise ships calling at Spanish ports has led to near complete cessation of berthing at the Port of Tarragona. Therefore, since March 2020, the port has been proactively developing two parallel strategies to enable it to safely resume business when the ban is lifted. Therefore, the Port of Tarragona’s primary objectives for this year are to develop and implement new health and safety measures to adapt to new scenarios and to be prepared for a restart of the cruise tourism sector in 2021. More specifically, Tarragona Cruise Port – Costa Daurada is developing organisational, marketing and sales strategies in the medium to long term in preparation for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Tarragona Cruise Port’s team has redoubled its efforts to promote and present a new range of products and services to meet needs arising from the pandemic and to strengthen relationships with stakeholders in the sector to generate business opportunities and promote stopovers in the city of Tarragona. Part of the port’s strategy for the future is the new Balears Pier, which will boast a new cruise terminal and open in 2021. The construction project is ahead of schedule, despite the difficulties presented by the pandemic. Once the new terminal is open, Tarragona will be able to host double the number of cruise ships at the same time and accommodate the world’s largest cruise vessels. The Port of Tarragona is also working to promote the surrounding region by spearheading the southern Catalonia cruise project, which involves tourism stakeholders from the public and private spheres. The combined efforts of those taking part in the joint project to adapt to the needs of cruise tourism has managed to increase the number of visitors from 1,400 passengers in 2013 to 128,000 in 2019. With new projects on the horizon to maintain this momentum after the pandemic, Tarragona is a destination with a bright future. CFIP Josep Maria Cruset is president of the Port of Tarragona “Tarragona is a destination with a bright future ”