Toulon Bay is expecting around 140,000 cruise passengers this year, and additional 40,000 in 2019, said Delphine Beudin, head of cruise development.

“We have developed a cruise friendly hospitality network to educate the local players to deliver a warm welcome to cruise guests,” Beudin explained, adding that Toulon presented a profitable cruise port call, with low fees and high potential tour revenue.

The port has also worked closely with shore excursion operators to develop new experiential tours.

Following MedCruise’s berth reservation guidelines, Toulon is looking forward to its new cruise pier and terminal.

The downtown location has been approved, with work scheduled to begin in 2019 for a 2021 completion date.

“The main challenge for Toulon is that we are not known,” Beudin explained. “But with a new dedicated cruise terminal, Toulon should be among the main ports in the Western Med with an expected yearly average of 500,000 cruise passengers.”