Italian Cruise Day 2015, Civitavecchia, Italy

 The fifth edition of Italy’s cruise industry forum, set up by Risposte Turismo, is underway in Civitavecchia, Italy’s number one cruise port.

New historical record in terms of cruise traffic in Italy’s ports expected in 2016, with 11.73 million passengers carried (+6.2% on 2015 estimates) and over 5,100 port calls (+5.5%).

Furthermore, for the first time, 5 ports in the same year above the threshold of a million passengers carried (Civitavecchia, Venice, Naples, Genoa and Savona).

These are some of the main predictions contained in the new edition of Italian Cruise Watch, the research report on the national cruise industry edited by Risposte Turismo and presented today by President Francesco di Cesare at the opening of the fifth edition of Italian Cruise Day.

The data are the result of the presentation of the predictions of 31 Italian cruise ports representing 95% of the national traffic in passengers carried and 87% in port calls.

The estimates are based on the port calls currently confirmed and could increase should additional port calls, which are being finalised, be added (for example, in the case of La Spezia and Trieste).

Italian Cruise Watch has also analysed other aspects in the cruise department this year.
As regards port infrastructures, in the 2005-2015 period, a constant increase in the double means of mooring – in the quay and midstream – happened due to the rise in the number of ships in cruise ports at the same time. This trend is destined to grow in 2016.

In terms of investments, the report highlights how 60% of ports intend to reserve even more resources to infrastructures.

As regards the analysis of the itineraries and port calls chosen by the companies, at the end of 2015 Civitavecchia will be the port identified as destination by the greatest number of cruise companies with port calls in Italy (around two thirds), followed by Venice and Livorno.

During this year, the company which calls in the greatest number of ports (20) is Costa Crociere, followed by Ponant and Thomson Cruise (19), Oceania Cruises (17) and Seadream Yacht Club (16).

Concerning the 2015 estimates and the 2016 predictions regarding the trend of the turnover generated exclusively by cruises of travel agents which operate in Italy, the Italian Cruise Watch edition presented this morning in Civitavecchia shows, once more, signs of optimism.

Around 76% of interviewees estimated stability or an increase of their business at the end of the year. In the 2016 predictions, this percentage rises 8 points reaching around 85%.

Compared to this current year, a drop is expected in the percentage of travel agents who predict a decline (15.2% vs 21.4%) and a boost in those who estimate a rise in their business (44.4% vs 36.7%) for 2016.

As in the previous editions of the report, this year once more Italian Cruise Watch analysed the main factors behind the customer’s choice for the year underway in reference to cruises.

According to the sample of travel agents interviewed, “discounts/promotions/total cruise cost” (59.6%) came first place, followed by “satisfied with past cruise” (58.7%) and “new destinations proposed (varied itinerary)” (36.7%).

In terms of the evolution of cruises sold by Italian travel agents, there is a growing trend for the 2014-2016 three-year period for under-30 customers.

Finally, Italian Cruise Watch contains an in-depth analysis of the relationship between cruises and Italian wine and food production. According to the investigation carried out by Risposte Turismo on 40 cruise companies operating in Italy, 80% of these proposed specific initiatives connected to food and wine (on board ships, during excursions in the destinations which may be reached from the mooring ports and in the proximity of the passenger terminal).

More in particular, from the analysis performed, the report shows that, to date, the wine and food initiatives are more experienced on board ships (themed cruises, menus selected by experts, restaurants with unique styles and offers, shops selling typical wine and food products) than those on land (themed excursions, requested mainly by repeaters and luxury segment customers, and not taking place in all the regions involved in cruise tourism).

In any case, for the majority of the wine and food producers open to the public who were contacted, sales increase compared with the average in the days of cruise ship tourist visits.

The report in addition shows that wine is the most popular product for themed wine and food excursions, followed by typical products and oil and that tasting is the most common activity in the wine and food tours analysed.

Italian Cruise Day opened this morning at the Civitavecchia Port Authority, partner of the 2015 edition, with a welcome from the local authorities and opening interventions by Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio – CLIA Italy Chairman, and Pasqualino Monti – Civitavecchia Port Authority Extraordinary Commissioner and ASSOPORTI Chairman. The keynote speech has been held by CLIA Europe Chairman, Pierfrancesco Vago.