The Seatrade Med Cruise Convention is set to gather in Barcelona, Spain from September 16-18, 2014 at Fira de Barcelona Gran Via Conference Centre.
“We feel extremely proud and excited to host Seatrade Med 2014 for the first time in Barcelona. We are expecting great participation, showing the strength and the resilience of the cruise industry in the Mediterranean and reinforcing the commitment of the ship owners and the cruise industry to our port and our city, Barcelona” said Sixte Cambra, president of the Port of Barcelona.
“We are extremely proud to host our 10th edition event in Barcelona,” said event organizer UBM Live portfolio director Daniel Read. “It is one of the most beloved cruise destinations in the world and the perfect location to bring the Mediterranean cruise industry together.”
Part of UBM Live’s growing Cruise Shipping Portfolio, Seatrade Med features a comprehensive conference featuring high-profile speakers, an exhibition, a travel agent training component, and valuable networking events.
“We are delighted that the 2014 edition of Seatrade Med will be held in Barcelona,” said Seatrade chairman Chris Hayman. “We certainly believe that the cruise market in the Mediterranean will continue to grow and that Barcelona will continue to expand as a key hub in the western Med.”
The port of Barcelona was named as the leader in Europe in terms of transported passengers for 2011, and the fifth in terms of world rankings. More than 2.5 million people passed through the Barcelona harbor in 2011, which represents a near 13 percent increase compared to 2010.
This event is traditionally hosted by a MedCruise member port, and the Association participates in every edition with a pavilion.
MedCruise president Stavros Hatzakos said, “The hosting of this event in Barcelona is a wonderful opportunity for the region to continue attracting cruise lines, and to give international promotion to the area and its cruise destinations. We want to congratulate Barcelona for winning the bid as well as thanking the other members who participated. We look forward to a successful event that will help us to grow even more and we are already starting the preparation of MedCruise ́s participation as principal sponsor.”
The Mediterranean Cruise Market
In 2011 a total of 171 cruise ships were active in the Mediterranean, with 2,958 cruises sailing the waters offering a total capacity of 33.79 million passenger nights. In that same year, Barcelona was the leading cruise port in terms of number of passengers disembarking at the port and topped the list for passenger revenue. The number of cruise passengers visiting the coast of the Mediterranean increased by almost 10% in 2011, while the number of ships increased by more than 7 percent, compared with 2010.
Spain also featured in one of the top three countries in terms of growth in direct expenditure with an increase of 9.4 percent during 2011. This was an increase of nearly 14% on the previous year and the majority of this was from passenger and crew spending at Spanish ports. In addition, other categories, including shipbuilding and cruise line purchases, also experienced growth of 6 percent compared to 2010 figures. Spain primarily serves as a source and destination market with some cruise lines headquartered there.
For more information about Seatrade Med, please visit www.cruiseshippingevents.com/med