The
full roll out of the home-porting policy for cruise
linesalone can add to the Greek economy annual
revenues in excess of Euro 1 billion.
On
a European level this is well illustrated in the words of MSC
Cruises’ CEO Pierfrancesco Vago, Vice-Chairman of the European
Cruise Council and speaker at the 1st
Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum, “We keep repeating the impressive
numbers of the economic impact in 2011 alone: €36.7 billion worth
of goods and services generated; over 6 million passengers; €3.5
billion spent by passengers and crew during visits to the 250 port
cities that welcome cruise
ships year-round. And last, but certainly not
least, more than 315,000 jobs created across Europe: which,
considering the eye-watering levels of unemployment in other sectors,
is quite a remarkable result.”
The
special interest for cruising and its growth potential in our region
is further evidenced by the arrival of new brands in the region,
including FTI Cruises in 2012, Disney
Cruises and Paul Gauguin Cruises in 2013 as
well as the new ships coming online this year for operation in the
Mediterranean.
“Greece’s
unique 16,000 km coastline, the country’s 1,200 islands and 4,800
islets as well as the mild climate are nature’s gifts to Greece,
yet the vast potential of these treasures and their contribution to
the national economy remains largely untapped due to the absence of a
strategic framework to attract investments conducive to the
development of a quality and holistic sea tourism product. But this
seems to be changing now,” said Theodore Vokos, Project Director,
Posidonia Exhibitions S.A., the event’s organisers.
The
Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum, which will be held in Athens on May
28-29, has already attracted strong interest from major international
cruise and yachting companies. They will vie for the attention of the
industry’s regional decision makers who will converge to the Greek
capital for two days of discussions and debates on the sector’s
growth challenge for Greece, Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea.
Major cruise
lines Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Silversea, Costa Crociere,
Celebrity Cruises, Paul Gauguin Cruises and Louis Cruises have
already committed their presence at the event which additionally has
the support of CLIA - Europe and MedCruise.
A
new feature of this year’s Forum will be an Exhibition designed to
enable industry suppliers to showcase their services and products.
Exhibitors include ports, destinations, hotels, airlines, tourist
service providers, technical support companies, sector publishers,
new technologies, yacht managers and brokers, yacht interiors
specialists and marinas.
Senior
industry officials agree that initiatives such as the Posidonia Sea
Tourism Forum can help attract attention to the region’s sea
tourism industry and that the arrival of major international and
regional marina developers and operators Camper & Nicholsons
Marinas and D-Marine Investments Holding with investments in Greek
marinas are indications of a more robust future.
According
to George Gratsos, President of the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping,
“Yachting already creates 40,000 direct and indirect jobs for the
Greek economy. A friendlier business environment and the development
of new marinas with a capacity for 10,000 more yachts than hosted at
present would create an additional 30,000 jobs. “
“The
recent spate of foreign direct investment in Greek marinas can be the
catalyst for more transactional activity in the near future which can
resuscitate the Greek yachting sector, thereby reviving a dormant
market full of potential and promise,” said Theodore Vokos,
Posidonia Exhibitions S.A.
The
organisers of the event are upbeat about its contribution to the
sectors’ long-term prospects: “As a result of the lively debate
that took place in the first Forum, a number of high profile policy
changes were announced by the Greek Government including the new
legal framework for cruise vessel home porting with the lifting of
cabotage restrictions and investment incentives which helped funnel
foreign funds into Greek yachting infrastructure projects,” said
Vokos.
Of
vital importance for Greece to be successful in its quest to further
develop all forms of sea tourism is the parallel development of the
sector in Turkey, the Black Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean in
general. It is the greater region’s importance for the global
tourism industry that will ensure long term and sustainable growth in
the future. Strong international interest has already been expressed
both for the conference and the exhibition.
The
2nd Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum is organised under the auspices of
the Greek Ministry of Tourism, the Greek Ministry of Shipping,
Maritime Affairs and the Aegean, CLIA – Europe, the Hellenic
Chamber of Shipping, the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises
(SETE), the Association of Passenger Shipping
Companies,
the Association of Mediterranean Cruise
Ports (MEDCRUISE),
the Hellenic Ports’ Association (ELIME), the Hellenic Professional
Yacht Owners’ Association, the Greek Marinas’ Association, the
Union of Greek Cruise Ship Owners & Associated Members, the
Hellenic Association of Travel & Tourist Agencies (HATTA) and the
Hellenic Yacht Brokers’ Association.
