Tarragona Cruise Port Costa Daurada is reaping the benefits of its commercial strategy initiated three years ago and is consolidating its position as an exclusive international cruise ship destination in the Mediterranean. During 2015, 11 cruise ships have moored at the cruise terminal in the Port of Tarragona, located on the Llevant wharf, with 11,600 passengers on board. These figures represent 83% growth on last year, and the forecast for 2016 is even higher.
The cruise passengers are able to contract organised activities to visit the wide cultural offer in our area; visits to the city of Tarragona, Montblanc and Poblet, Altafulla, Cambrils and Reus, Barcelona, PortAventura, and wine cellars in the area, among others. The rest of the passengers opt for independent visits.
Tarragona Cruise Port Costa Daurada is a destination where all the virtues of the Mediterranean way of life converge (great wine cellars and a rich gastronomy, sun, clean golden beaches, tradition, culture, World Heritage monuments, art nouveau architecture, leisure, relaxation, nature, sports and all kinds of outdoor activities). In Tarragona, ancient and modern exist in total harmony, giving the visitor an almost unlimited and made-to-measure tourism offer.
UNESCO World Heritage
The conservation of the archaeological remains of old Roman Tarraco, considered World Heritage since 2000, is recognized internationally by UNESCO. This body has given Roman Tarraco the category of Site of Exceptional Universal Value, which is the highest category attainable. What’s more, the area includes the Monastery of Poblet as World Heritage, along with the Human Towers and Mediterranean gastronomy as Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Cruise ships and cruise passengers in Tarragona
Currently, the objective of the Port of Tarragona is to aim for “Premium” cruise lines, or medium-sized cruise ships of about 2,500 passengers. This is the sector which is best suited to the current positioning of Tarragona; a destination with excellent quality tourist attractions and with a high level of satisfaction amongst its visitors, but which is still working on its positioning as a brand in the world of cruises.
Without a doubt, Tarragona is a surprising destination, which the 11,600 passengers who have made a stopover here have been able to discover.
Regarding the cruise passengers’ nationalities, the majority are British (42%), followed by the French (18%) and Italians (15%). Australians and North Americans have each represented 6% of the total number of passengers.
The economic impact of cruises in the area this year, 2015, has been calculated at around €719,000.
New wharf for cruise ships in Tarragona
To accommodate the arrival of cruise ships, currently the facilities of Marina Port Tarraco are being used, situated on the port promenade of Tarragona, for small cruise ships less than 140m long. Ships of greater draft use the cruise terminal situated on the Llevant wharf.
To respond to the necessities of the cruise lines, in relation to the predicted volume of passengers, the Port of Tarragona is working on the option of taking advantage of the construction of a new, multi-functional esplanade on the Prats wharf, to be used exclusively for cruise ships in the future.
More information | cruises@porttarragona.cat, www.tarragonacruiseport.com
