Kikilias – Kefalogianni – CLIA focus on Greek cruise

The Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, Vassilis Kikilias, and the Minister of Tourism, Olga Kefalogianni, had a joint meeting with the Executive Chairman and CEO of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), Bud Darr, in order to discuss the key issues concerning the cruise activity in Greece.

Kikilias underlined the importance of cruising as a development pillar for island Greece, within the framework of a sustainable tourism model. Regarding the cruise fees, he stressed that the implementation of the measure is a central government choice and is linked to the plan to support and upgrade critical port infrastructure on the islands.

As he stated, the goal is to provide safe and functional facilities, improve accessibility for visitors and ensure integrated management of natural resources.

Kikilias highlighted the need to strengthen cooperation with representatives of the cruise industry and of course with CLIA, in order to ensure proper planning. As he noted, this can be achieved either through setting visitor limits per destination, or by extending the tourist season.

At the same time, it was agreed to create a joint working group with the participation of the ministries and CLIA, at the level of general secretaries, with the aim of institutionalizing a stable channel of cooperation and resolving issues related to cruising.

Finally, there was a shared belief that the development of cruising should be oriented towards new, alternative destinations, based on sustainability and quality.