The Cruises & Port Cities Working Group met for the first time this year on March 6, reaffirming its dedication to enhancing port & city relations and connectivity. Chaired by Noemi Frascella from Port Taranto, MedCruise’s Director of Port & City Relationships, along with Jose Sanchez Director of the Agenda 2030 by AIVP, the meeting focused on the final remarks for the upcoming publication by the Working Group. This publication marks the culmination of the collaborative efforts of the Working Group, established in 2021 and comprising 23 members, featuring interviews with ports, cities, and companies along with expert articles addressing the challenges and opportunities arising from the relationship between ports and port cities.
During the meeting, discussions primarily revolved around updating the members on the publication’s progress, reviewing its contents and seeking final input on various aspects. Additionally, a detailed action plan for the valorisation of the publication in 2024 was outlined, with a special focus on its official presentation at SeaTrade Cruise Global in Miami, 2024 on April 10th at 17:00pm at MedCruise’s booth (2201). Additional promotional events such as CLIA Cruise Week Europe in March in Italy, the 64th MedCruise General Assembly in June in Spain, and the 19th World Conference Cities and Ports by AIVP, to take place in Lisbon, Portugal, in November 27-29 were highlighted.
Beyond the publication, the meeting also addressed the launch of a survey to touch on some points that have not been explored yet with the members of the Working Group and to collect more data and insights on how our cruise ports and cities deal with social integration and sustainability issues. Looking ahead, discussions revolved around the future direction of the Working Group post-SeaTrade Cruise Global in Miami, 2024, encouraging members to propose ideas for consideration. Overall, the meeting was highly productive, providing members with an opportunity to preview the publication draft and offer valuable feedback.
