The Minister of Shipping and Island Policy, Vasilis Kikilias, and the Minister of Tourism, Olga Kefalogianni, held a joint meeting with the Executive Chairman and CEO of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), Bud Darr, to discuss critical issues concerning cruise activity in the country.
During the meeting, the two Ministers presented the government’s strategy for cruise tourism, with an emphasis on sustainability, the upgrading of port infrastructure, and the need to balance tourism development on the islands.
Mr. Kikilias underlined the role of cruises as a driver of development for island Greece and noted that the imposition of a cruise fee is a central choice of the government. As he stated, the revenue from the fee is intended for port upgrade projects, improving accessibility and strengthening infrastructure, with the aim of safely and functionally welcoming visitors, always within the framework of integrated and sustainable management of natural resources.
At the same time, it was agreed that there should be an exchange of technical views on the first phase of implementing the fee – both in terms of the method of measurement and payment, and in the timely information of companies about their relevant obligations.
The Minister of Shipping also highlighted the importance of proper planning in approaches, noting that this can be achieved either by setting visitor limits per destination or by extending the tourist season, strategies that are at the heart of sustainable tourism policy.
In this context, it was decided to establish a joint working group with the participation of the Ministries and CLIA, at the level of general secretaries, with the aim of creating a permanent channel of cooperation and resolving issues concerning cruises in Greece.
For her part, the Minister of Tourism, Olga Kefalogianni, highlighted the Ministry’s strategy for moderate, balanced development and strengthening of tourist demand outside the high season. She stressed the need to support local communities and economies, but also to highlight the country’s natural and cultural wealth through the promotion of new cruise destinations.
Regarding the cruise fee, Ms. Kefalogianni noted that it has a remunerative nature and will finance infrastructure projects that will enhance the sustainability of the destinations.
She also made special reference to the new Observatory for Coastal and Marine Tourism in the Eastern Mediterranean, which is being created in collaboration with the World Tourism Organization. This Observatory, as she said, is a pioneering mechanism for collecting and analyzing data to monitor the environmental, social and economic impacts of maritime tourism and is expected to contribute to the documentation of sustainable policies, including cruise management.
In closing, the Minister underlined the Ministry’s intention to attract smaller, higher-quality cruise ships, to develop new, alternative destinations and to improve the operation of the berth allocation system, as well as the management of tourist flows in destinations. “In this effort, we look forward to collaborating with CLIA for the development of cruises in the country,” she noted.
