The MedCruise member Santa Cruz de Tenerife will be the 2016 venue for the largest cruise industry event focusing on the Mediterranean and its adjoining seas – Seatrade Cruise Med (previously known as the Seatrade Med Cruise Convention).
Hosted by the Port Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the three-day event, will take place from 21-23 September 2016 at the International Trade Fair and Congress Centre in Santa Cruz.
The event will feature a showcase exhibition, conference and travel agent training, with the conference focusing on a wide variety of topics including the current state of the cruise industry in the Mediterranean region and its adjoining seas, itineraries and shorex, the cruise line/port relationship, shipbuilding and ship supply.
As a leading platform for discussion and debate on issues confronting the Mediterranean’s burgeoning cruise market, the conference is an integral part of Seatrade Cruise Med. A comprehensive programme and high level speaker line-up in 2014 attracted almost 700 delegates, including many cruise line executives from the world’s leading cruise lines.
Pedro Rodriguez Zaragoza, president of the Port Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife explained ‘It is a great honour, and we are absolutely delighted to have this trade fair in Tenerife for the first time in the Atlantic Islands‘.
Airam Diaz Pastor, MedCruise director (projects & studies) added ‘First and foremost this is a very special day full of joy and we have to thank Seatrade that they have chosen Tenerife to be the host of Seatrade Cruise Med 2016. For the first time in history the event will be held outside the Mediterranean but that is because we are a member of MedCruise‘.
Carla Salvadό, MedCruise president, congratulated Tenerife for the successful bid to host Seatrade Cruise Med 2016. ‘We are confident that our member port will organise an excellent event providing all our members a platform to discuss the major challenges and prospects of the cruise port industry in the Mediterranean and its adjoining seas. MedCruise will work with the organisers to make this event a major step in the evolution of cruise activities in the Med’.Tom Matesanz, vice president, communication and public affairs, CLIA Europe (Cruise Lines International Association) reiterated how important the event is for Tenerife. ‘It is truly a great honour that they have set their gaze on Tenerife for Seatrade Cruise Med 2016. Let me highlight that at a time when collaboration is so important, Tenerife have shown that they can rise to the challenge for everything this sector means. I would also like to highlight the importance of this event to CLIA and all representatives of the cruise lines who will, of course, be in full support. We know that Tenerife will ensure that all attendees will have an enjoyable stay in Tenerife’.
Andrew Williams, general manager for Seatrade was pleased to make the announcement: ‘We are delighted that Tenerife is hosting this important event. As well as bringing together key industry leaders from across the world, it will also showcase Tenerife’s ideal location, facilities and everything this fantastic island has to offer. Tenerife plays an extremely important role in cruising in the Med and its adjoining seas, as already demonstrated by the growth in cruise ship calls in this region‘.
The mayor of the City of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Jose Manuel Bermudez Esparza was also in attendance and was ‘delighted’ with the decision, explaining that Seatrade Cruise Med will be ‘the most important congress that has ever been held in Santa Cruz, and an historical event for the city‘.
Complementing the conference sessions, the exhibition will see ports and destinations, tourism authorities, cruise associations, ground handlers, tour operators, port agents, technical equipment and hotel suppliers showcasing their products and services to the cruise industry. The event will also feature a travel agent training programme, and a full social programme for attending delegates.
More than 3,500 participants visited the showcase exhibition in 2014 where over 180 exhibitors from all over the globe, including numerous companies new to cruise, showcased their products and demonstrated innovations on the exhibition floor.
For more information please log on to www.seatrade-med.com
