Cruise taffic has increased steadily over the past six years in the Baltic Sea region. Today Europe and the Baltic are on many cruise passengers’ “wish lists,” according to Cruise Baltic, the regional destination organization. This is a conclusion from a 2008 market review produced with information for the organization’s port members – a network of 10 countries and 26 destinations – to give an updated picture of cruising in the Baltic.

Cruise Baltic said in a prepared statement that the number of cruise passengers to its member destinations has increased by an average of 12 percent per year since 2000, and that this trend is expected to continue in 2008, following a slight decline in 2007.

Baltic destinations are among four of the top five ports attracting the most passengers in Northern Europe. The most popular ports are St. Petersburg, Tallinn, Stockholm and Helsinki. And Copenhagen ranks as the largest turnaround port, expecting a record breaking 147 turnarounds in 2008.

The Baltic destinations claim to have a market share of approximately 50 percent of the cruise traffic in Northern Europe.

Bo Larsen, Director of Cruise Baltic said: “We are proud of the wide recognition we are achieving, and we definitely see ourselves as a long-term co-operation, aiming continuously to improve the attractions of cruising in the region.