Represented by their Association, cruise ports in the Mediterranean and the adjoining seas were among the keynote guests at the 4th Airport Chief Executives’ Symposium that took place in Athens Greece.
Organised by the Athens International Airport this year’s edition of the platform for the exchange of ideas among high-level airport executives was devoted to the search for synergies – or SEAnAIRgies – between airports and cruise ports and their impact on the destinations they serve.
In front of the esteemed representatives from air transport, but also from the tourism, financial, international banking, and public sectors, Mediterranean ports, presented the value that this collaboration might produce for all parties involved and the broader economy.
MedCruise Secretary General Thanos Pallis, delivered a keynote speech presenting those challenges and opportunities that cruise ports in the Med and airports can address together. He also introduced the findings of the MedCruise fact-finding report “Ports Together” that was published earlier this year, examples of existing initiatives aiming to smooth operations and increase the contribution to local communities.
Following a viable discussion and most interesting panels participants recognised the need for the different cruise stakeholders to set up a cruise supply chain approach and so as to together and achieve desirable, and sustainable growth.
MedCruise Honorary President Stavros Hatzakos, (General Manager, Piraeus Port Authority S.A.) was also on stage, sharing the platform with the CEOs of the airports of Athens, Hamburg, Aeropuertos Españoles, Fraport Regional Airports S.A., as well as Mrs Angela Gittens, Director General, Airports Council International, World, to discuss and the potential impact of several airports & ports synergies on linked destinations.
“For MedCruise ports and associate members, cooperation is part of their culture. We work closely with the association of cruise lines, CLIA, and we are already engaged in talks with major airlines. Collaboration with airports is the natural next step. We would like to congratulate the initiative of Airport executives to search for SEAnAIRgies together. Discussion shed light to many local initiatives, and seems that we are all now ready to further actions so as to achieve concrete results” – Thanos Pallis, MedCruise Secretary General.
#portstogether #SEAnAIRgies
