The 2019 season in Helsingborg, Sweden, will amount to five cruise ship calls and around 5,000 guests, according to Mark Wieden, cruise executive.

Three calls are already booked for 2020 and Wieden has his eye on more.

“Large parts of the city are currently under construction resulting in brand new areas evolving with hotels, restaurants, bars, and cafes alongside the boardwalk, including the area surrounding our 200-meter City Pier where we are targeting smaller to medium-sized cruise ships with immediate access to the city center,” Wieden said.

The new City Pier will be open in early 2020, he added.

“Helsingborg is a compact city, making it easy to access the city center and its surrounding areas,” Wieden added. “We have several options of berths to offer the cruise lines and we have a rich local culture in terms of local cuisine and local history to explore via shore excursions.”

Due to its proximity to major ports, Helsingborg is up against competition from Copenhagen, Gothenburg, and Stockholm.

“We can offer a different guest experience. Being a smaller destination and close to several airports, we believe we have a good concept and product for the future,” Wieden explained.