The Tarragona Institutional Cruise Committee met in the Roger de Llúria room of the Port of Tarragona institutional headquarters to discuss the 2022 season recently.

The meeting involved the main institutions linked to tourism and was attended by Saül Garreta, president of the Tarragona Port Authority; Marta Farrero, director of the Costa Daurada Tourism Board; Pau Ricomà, Mayor of Tarragona; Dídac Nadal, Tarragona Councilor for Trade, Fairs, Markets and Consumption; Anna M. Martínez, Generalitat of Catalunya deputy general director of tourism planning and inspection; Laura Roigé, president of the Tarragona Chamber of Commerce; Daniel Martín, managing director of the Tarragona Chamber of Commerce; Óscar Saladié, dean of the URV Faculty of Tourism and Geography; Cristina Cid, Vila-seca Town Councillor for Innovation and Tourism; Montse Caelles, Reus Town Councillor for Municipal Projection; Marta Vilalta, Manager of the Reus Promotion Agency; Francesc Pintado, president of the AEHT; Xavier Jornet, member of the AEHT board; Juan José Crespo, director of Reus Airport; and Berta Cabré, president of the FEHT.

The delegates concluded that the economic impact of cruise passengers in the area increased to over 5 million euro during the 2022 season for 35 calls.

Additionally, there was a 96 percent increase in passengers choosing to visit the area by purchasing an excursion or making their own arrangements, compared to 93 percent in 2019.

For the upcoming 2023 season, a total of 50 calls and 95,000 passengers are expected to arrive at the Port of Tarragona.

Saül Garreta, president of the Port of Tarragona said: “It can be considered a symptom of the sector’s recovery that we are approaching pre-pandemic levels and that Tarragona’s cruise model is sustainable compared to those of Barcelona or Venice in terms of demographic and environmental impact.”