Largest trade event in Mediterranean will make Malaga 'capital of the cruise industry'
Seatrade Cruise Med will take place in the city on 14 and 15 September, and bring Europe's cruise industry together for the first time since the start of the pandemic
The countdown to the largest cruise ship event in the Mediterranean has begun with an online forum ahead of the date. Seatrade Cruise Med will be held on 14 and 15 of September at the Malaga Exhibition and Conference Centre. It will bring the main shipping companies in the world and many industry professionals to the city.
The president of Malaga port, Carlos Rubio, has described the event the “definitive boost the industry needs after being paralysed by the global pandemic”. He added that, in addition to the presence of major companies, the event will involve everyone in Malaga.
Chiara Giorgi, the director of events for Seatrade Cruise, said that Malaga will, for the duration, become the “capital of the cruise industry” and that the event will mark a “before and after” before pointing out that Malaga is already a strategic location for the sector and the second most important port in Spain.
The director of the Cruise Division of the Port Authority of Barcelona, María del Mar López, said in the online forum that the 2014 Seatrade Med held in Barcelona was a unique and successful opportunity to position Barcelona and Spain as beautiful destinations. At that time, 2,673 people gathered from 180 companies and 93 countries. “The next edition in Malaga will be an injection of optimism and a return to normality. It will be the opportunity to bring Europe's cruise industry together for the first time after the pandemic." she added.
Rosa Sánchez, who is in charge of Tourism at Malaga City Hall, has seen the evolution of the cruise sector since 2014 and is convinced that the industry will return to the heights of 2019 with nearly half a million tourists visiting the capital of the Costa del Sol. She highlighted the collaboration between public and private sectors for the event and promises that commitment to this industry is a priority until 2024.
The Junta's tourism delegate for Malaga, Nuria Rodríguez, closed the online forum saying she believes hosting the event will have a positive impact on the city and the region as a whole.
