By
Alex Smith |
The 60th edition of the General Assembly of MedCruise, hosted by Costa Brava Cruise Ports in Palamós and Roses, has concluded after three days and more than 600 business-to-business sessions, workshops, meetings and discussion panels.
Six plenary sessions were focused on matters and themes of interest to the cruise industry. ‘Trends in the Med’ covered the challenges faced by Mediterranean ports in the last few years, new opportunities created by the pandemic and the importance of cooperation with cruise lines and other stakeholders.
‘Fit for 55 – Where the 145 ports are to fit the sustainability goals’ discussed the proposed pack of new legislative proposals and amendments to existing European Union (EU) legislation that will help the EU cut its net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 per cent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.
A session on young travellers covered the different needs of guests depending on their age, while the ‘#MedCruise4OurPlanet’ debate discussed how to develop a tailor-made solution for sustainability challenges. Representatives of Swan Hellenic Cruises, Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours, Sea Dream Yacht Club and Star Clippers talked about the crisis-driven innovations made by cruise lines while navigating the pandemic, before MedCruise president Figen Ayan moderated a session on ‘The big 3D’s – Digitisation, Digitalisation and data for a better customer experience’.
“I am particularly proud of this General Assembly, the first one for me as president of MedCruise,” said Ayan. ‘It has been a record edition demonstrating that in our socially engaging cruise industry, people need to meet, greet and network in person. I would like to sincerely thank the Ports of Catalonia, the Tourism Board of Costa Brava, the Council of Palamós and the Council of Roses that have hosted every participant of our General Assembly in a warm and exclusive manner, which gave the opportunity to have fruitful networking opportunities.”