Cruise industry organisation CLIA Europe has issued a warning regarding the challenges it sees undermining the potential growth of the industry.
Despite the European cruise sector generating €40.2 billion in 2014, up 2% from the previous year, the organisation argues significant issues could stifle its long-term future.
Speaking in Hamburg at the opening session of Seatrade Europe – the major biannual cruise event focused on Europe’s cruising market, taking place this week – Pierfrancesco Vago, CLIA Europe’s chairman, said: “Last year the cruise industry continued to grow and increase its relevance in Europe, generating 350,000 jobs – 10,000 more than in the previous year – and driving European industrial production – 29 out 31 oceangoing cruise ships scheduled to be delivered by 2018 are being built in European shipyards.
“However, the cruise industry’s growth in Europe has slowed down compared to previous years. While the long-term trend remains positive, the future could be much brighter. A number of critical constraints to the industry’s further growth need urgent addressing if we want to ensure that the cruise industry will continue to be a solid contributor to Europe’s economy.
According to Vago, the issues include: insufficient development of port infrastructure; the uneven application of EU environmental legislation in Europe’s ports; and constraints impeding the arrival of more third-country tourists in Europe.
Speaking about the need to further expand port infrastructure, Vago said: “Many European ports are struggling to keep up with the cruise industry’s rapid growth. Upgrading port infrastructure throughout Europe is a necessary investment that would open new routes and destinations, and further boost the industry’s economic impact on land. We also need to make sure that more European ports have adequate facilities allowing cruise ships to discharge wastewater onshore.”
Talking about the inconsistent application of EU legislation in Europe’s ports, Raphael von Heereman, CLIA Europe’s secretary general, said: “The way certain pieces of EU legislation are applied across Europe can be compared to a patchwork quilt, which is affecting our ability to optimise our ships’ operational efficiency. The EU Sulphur Directive is a prime example. While cruise lines invest in expensive, open-loop scrubber technology to comply with the Directive, in remains unclear in which ports they will be able to use it. EU Member States need to focus on aligning the application of European legislation all their ports to avoid this confusion.”
Speaking about the need to allow more third-country tourists to visit Europe, he added: “Europe is among the world’s most restrictive regions in terms of visa requirements for foreign nationals, and is subsequently losing six million potential tourists every year at a crucial time of economic recovery. The proposed EU Visa Code reform is a vital start to improving tourism flows in Europe. But the EU Institutions must swiftly adopt and implement the new legislation, or risk depriving the EU of even more precious tourism revenues when it needs them most.”
Vago called on all the parties concerned, including cruise operators, ports, authorities and other tourism stakeholders, to keep working together in order to find solutions to these and other challenges:
“CLIA advocates a multi-stakeholder, consensus-driven approach that starts with dialogue among all the parties concerned. Although we face big challenges, CLIA and the cruise industry are committed to doing what’s necessary to ensure that the cruise industry continues to growth sustainably in Europe for years to come.”
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