Due to the current geopolitical situation, the arrivals of cruise ships at the port of Limassol for 2023 did not materialize to the fullest and from the 200 bookings that initially existed, the arrivals ended up in 164, since there were several cancellations due to the unstable situation in our neighbor Israel, according to information provided in "Entrepreneurial Limassol", by DP World Limassol. From the Managing Company of the passenger terminal, however, they emphasized to us that the year 2023 continues to be the best year both in terms of passenger numbers and cruise ship arrivals since the day they took over the management of the Terminal.
The management of DP World Limassol emphasizes that it remains optimistic for a strong recovery in 2025 and 2026 in the Eastern Mediterranean region. So far, over 65 cruise arrivals have been booked in Limassol for 2024 and DP World Limassol is coordinating with all the relevant agencies for the necessary recovery actions, proper planning and preparation.
It may appear that the itineraries of large cruise ships to and from the port of Limassol for 2024 have been reduced so far after last year's excellent year, due to the war in Israel, however, the major companies in the sector, have Cyprus in their plans and that is why a strategic planning for the further development of the sector, as the Deputy Minister of Shipping stated in "Entrepreneurial Limassol".
The Deputy Minister pointed out that all cruise companies always have Cyprus in their plans as she found out last month in Genoa, Italy, where she participated in the largest cruise conference organized by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). She added that the conference was attended by all the cruise operators and that it was a pleasant surprise for her that they all expressed a desire to include Cyprus in their itineraries. She received the same messages recently in Dubai at the headquarters of DP World (together with the Minister of Transport) where they discussed possible areas of cooperation, including opportunities to jointly exploit the geographical position and potential of Cyprus.
Ms. Marina Hatzimanoli described DP World's facilities in Dubai as incredible, indicating at the same time that we too can upgrade the facilities, especially in the Port of Limassol, which is more ready and be able to offer visitors something that will be unforgettable. The Deputy Minister of Shipping told us that at the conference in Genoa it was emphasized that, what the cruise evokes are memories and that a destination must provide the visitor with something that will make him return to it.
He added that this is our goal since we have excellent destinations all over Cyprus, for them to visit to get to know our culture and to make them, in this way, visit the island again and again. In a recent meeting of all those involved in the sector, in the presence of Ministers and Deputy Ministers of the government, it was decided to set up a Working Group in order to study in depth the subject of Cruise Tourism.
The Deputy Minister of Shipping, Marina Hatzimanoli, who will coordinate the team on behalf of the government, emphasized that the goal is to become as competitive as possible and to make the best use of cruise tourism, which is very important for Cyprus and can contribute in a great degree in our economy. The working group will constitute of the participants in the respective Committee of the Cyprus Shipping Chamber, which are the major Cruise Companies and representatives of the ports of both Limassol and Larnaca.
The Deputy Minister emphasized that everyone's desire is to be ready for next year and not have to face this reduction again. She finally stated that the reason for recommending the committee is to immediately sit down to prepare a strategic plan regarding the Cruise, the latest by September.
