While the global cruise industry’s outlook remains strong in 2017, local geopolitical tensions have impacted the East Med’s performance as a sea tourism region. The 4th Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum this spring in Athens will try to reinvent cruising in the East Mediterranean, so that the region can benefit from the present boom of the cruise industry.
Current demand for East Med cruises is in stark contrast to the positive Cruise Lines International Association’s (CLIA) projections that estimate 25.3m cruisers in 2017, a 4.5% increase over the previous year. At the same time global capacity will increase with the addition of 26 new ocean, river and specialty vessels. Long-term estimates indicate the industry will add a further 97 new ships in less than ten years with an investment of nearly US$53billion.
Posidonia Exhibitions, the organisers of this two-day event, believe that the carefully selected issues to be addressed during the conference could lead to solutions that would facilitate the region’s recovery to the benefit of both cruise operators and local economies.
“Stakeholders of the East Med’s and Black Sea’s interdependent destinations must work together to reinvent the region’s combined offering,” said Posidonia Exhibitions’ Executive Director, Theodore Vokos.
“In order to convince operators to redeploy more of their assets to the region and add new itineraries, we must develop a long-term vision based on mutually beneficial strategies. Strategies designed to create a cohesive, consistent and alluring product that will spur demand for the region and create new homeport destinations,” he added.
This is exactly what representatives of the world’s leading cruise lines will discuss at the biennial international conference and exhibition, taking place on May 23-24 at Megaron Athens International Conference Centre. Expert speakers and the region's stakeholders will address the challenges and debate possible strategies and solutions. Book your hotel room in Athens, Greece.
