By
Rebecca Gibson |
MedCruise opened its 68th General Assembly in Palermo, Italy, on 9 June 2026, welcoming more than 240 delegates to discuss topics including the impact of geopolitical developments on Mediterranean itineraries, the growing use of AI, and the role ports can play in balancing tourism growth and sustainability.
MedCruise president Theodora Riga officially opened the event during a press conference for local and international media, which featured brief speeches from Annalisa Tardino, president of the Port System Authority of the Western Sicilian Sea; Alessandro Anello, councillor for tourism department in the City of Palermo; Edy Tamajo, councillor for productive activities of the Scilian region; and Angleo Balsamo, major of Licata.
“Palermo is one of the founding members of MedCruise…we’re so honoured to be here,” said Riga, noting that MedCruise will also celebrate its 30th anniversary during the event. “It’s very special, historical and important for us.”
Palermo’s Arab-Norman cathedral, a Unesco World Heritage Site, is one of the most popular attractions in the city (Credit: Rebecca Gibson)
The event, which is being co-hosted by the Port System Authority of the Western Sicilian Sea, will bring together MedCruise members and associate members, executives from a record 27 cruise lines, media representatives and other industry stakeholders for four days of conference sessions, meetings, networking and familiarisation trips.
Highlights of the event will include MedCruise Working Group discussions, an Internal Matters Session where participants will outline the association’s immediate and long-term priorities, and more than 700 B2B meetings between cruise executives and MedCruise members.
Cruise executives will also join key industry stakeholders in multiple panel discussions to analyse how geopolitical instability is changing cruise ship deployments in the Mediterranean, how ports can help to drive sustainable tourism growth in destinations, and how AI is changing the way ports and destinations communicate with guests and cruise lines. There will also be a session examining how guest expectations and cruise operations have evolved over the past 30 years and another looking at why accessibility and strategic relationship management will be drivers of a more connected and resilient cruise ecosystem in the region.
Attendees will also hear insights from the new MedCruise State of the Industry Report, which provides an overview of the trends, market developments, operational challenges and emerging opportunities facing the cruise industry in the Mediterranean and its adjoining seas.
Teatro Massimo di Palermo, which was inaugurated in 1897 and is the biggest opera house in Italy (Credit: Rebecca Gibson)
MedCruise will mark its 30th anniversary during the event, welcoming honorary presidents and former secretaries general to reflect on the association’s successful efforts to drive sustainable cruise growth in the Mediterranean and its adjoining seas over the past three decades. Delegates will celebrate the anniversary during a gala dinner at Villa Boscogrande on 10 June.
There will also be a Farewell Dinner featuring local cuisine, music and cultural performances on 11 June and multiple guided excursions designed to showcase the cultural, historical and gastronomic attractions guests can enjoy during a cruise call in Palermo on 12 June.
Participants can choose to take a voyage on historic vessel Lisca Bianca, explore the Unesco World Heritage-listed Arab-Norman and Baroque buildings of Palermo, join an underground tour of the historic qanat aqueducts and Sirocco Chamber, visit the aristocratic residences connected to Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa’s novel Il Gattopardo (The Leopard), or head to Monreale.
Another famous landmark in Palermo is Fontana Pretoria fountain in Piazza Pretoria (Credit: Rebecca Gibson)