From the entire range of tourism services, sea cruising is probably the most efficient and convenient option for tourists wishing to visit many sites in a relatively short period of time, benefiting at the same time from the delights offered by life onboard. This type of trip combines the all-inclusive concept offered by cruise companies with different onshore visiting programs around the hosting ports. In addition to visiting on-shore attractions and experimenting various cultures through the local entertainment and cuisine, tourists can also choose to continue their day with the diversity of night-life activities offered by the cruise ship.
As a tourist, once hooked on cruise vacations, it’s easy to keep wanting more. Regular travellers remain somehow captive of this “sport”, always wishing to visit new areas, engage in different cultural activities, see other parts of ancient civilizations through their modern descendants, and to try new culinary experiences.
In order to face these requirements and turn challenges into potential opportunities, cruise line companies must find new destinations in regions that have not been extensively visited, despite the fact that they already have an extensive portfolio of visiting locations. By creating these new routes, tourists eager for new attractions can be reached. However, for successfully reaching this objective, the cruise companies have to perform a lot of work in order to provide all the conditions so that clients ensure successful development and positive environmental, economic and cultural impacts.
First of all, destinations with unique cultural, historical and natural attractions that attract cruise travellers must be identified. For example, in the MedCruise ports area, the northern Mediterranean part is very well known by tourists, while new future touristic potential areas can be found on the Southern Mediterranean coast (North African Countries) as well as on the Eastern Med-side. Another sea cruise destination closed after 24th of February 2022 is the Black Sea region, which will hopefully open soon, once the security improves in this area.
Apart from this activity of identifying destinations, there are some equally important activities, such as:
- Marketing and Promotion – creating effective marketing strategies to attract passengers to the new destinations and collaborate with local tour operators to offer enticing itineraries and shore excursions.
- Seasonal Considerations – accounting for seasonal variations in weather and demand when planning cruise itineraries, diversifying the portfolio of offers to attract visitors all year-round.
- Environmental Impact – conducting environmental impact assessments to minimize the ecological footprint of cruise activities and implement sustainable practices to protect marine ecosystems, including waste management and emissions reduction;
- Regulations and Compliance – ensuring compliance with local laws governing cruise operations through establishing guidelines for responsible cruise tourism.
- Cultural Preservation – collaborating with local communities to preserve and showcase their cultural heritage and promote responsible tourism practices that respect local traditions and customs.
Doru Mihai MedCruise director of Regional Development
