The port of Taranto attends the Seatrade Cruise Europe international trade fair

PORTO DI TARANTO, 12 SEPTEMBER 2023 - The Seatrade Cruise Europe trade fair (Hamburg, 6-8 September 2023), the three-day talk and meeting event dedicated to the world of maritime and river cruises attracting the most important players in the sector to the port city of Hamburg, ended on 8 September 2023.

The fair is the most eagerly awaited two-year event for some 250 exhibitors and more than 5,000 visitors from the cruise industry, representing shipping companies, tour operators, shipbuilding firms and companies specialisedin ground services. The Port Network Authority of the Ionian Sea successfully participated in the event by presenting the port of Taranto as a dynamic and growing cruise destination to an influential audience from around the world. These were three days full of networking and B2B activities aimed both at making new contacts and consolidating relationships of trust with the international companies that, year by year, confirm their interest in the Ionian seaport. The booking of port of calls by four new companies for the year 2024 shows the growing attention of cruise lines - including those in the luxury sector - for the port of Taranto, a state-of-the-art passenger port of call and an ideal access point for discovering the attractions of the city and surrounding areas. The Ionian region, the heart of Magna Graecia, has the advantage of combining a rich historical and archaeological heritage with the unique beauty of the sea and ravines. A still little-explored corner of the Mediterranean, less prone to the phenomenon of over tourism, which therefore represents a destination rich of new development opportunities.

The Authority participated in the trade fair as part of the collective exhibition organised by Assoporti, which presented the national port network under the claim “Cruise Italy - One country, many destinations” at a single stand.

In addition, this month the port of Taranto and the area experienced a significant moment in the growth of cruise tourism. On 2 September, in fact, the port of call once again welcomed a double call, hosting the magnificent ships Costa Pacifica and Marella Explorer; the same ships had already been berthed simultaneously at the docks of the Ionian port of call on 10 June 2023. On 2 September, the traffic generated by the port of Taranto reached significant numbers, exceeding 7,000 passengers. The Port Network Authority of the Ionian Sea organised a top-notch reception, thanks to the arrangement, in record time, of a fully furnished and branded inflatable structure, aimed at offering maximum comfort to cruise passengers arriving at the port of Taranto and to promoting the destination thanks to the collaboration with Pugliapromozione Regional Agency.