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Corfu Port: 3rd place in cruise ship arrivals and 2nd in passengers

cruise ships
19 Jan 2022 / 17:22

The Hellenic Ports Association published the data of the Greek cruise ship and passenger arrivals.

Based on the Hellenic Ports Association’s data, 2021 was the year that the cruise sector restarted and recovered after months of interruption and reduction of activities in 2020 due to the pandemic.
 
In total, 1,957 cruise ships arrived at Greek ports in 2021 and 1,316,662 passengers. The increase in the number of cruise ship arrivals compared to 2020 is 732% and in passengers 1750%. However, compared to 2019, which was a record year for Greek tourism, the cruise ship arrivals were at 49.2%, while passenger arrivals at 23.7%.
 
The big difference between the number of cruise ship arrivals and passenger arrivals is, of course, due to the measures that were taken to deal with the pandemic at a global, European and national level and the restrictions on the occupancy rate of ships.
 
 
Cruise ship arrivals and passengers
 
In terms of the number of cruise ship arrivals, Piraeus, Mykonos, Corfu, Rhodes, Santorini, Katakolon and Heraklion are in the first places.
 
In terms of the number of passenger arrivals, Corfu, Piraeus, Mykonos, Rhodes, Katakolon, Heraklion and Santorini are in the first places.
 
For the Piraeus Port Authority, the data concern the period until 30 September 2021. It is estimated that with the integration of the final data of the year for Piraeus, the total number of passengers across the country will be over 1,400,000 and the number of cruise ships will be over 2,000, i.e. slightly above the 50% of the 2019 numbers.
 
 
Optimistic prospects
 
The prospects for 2022 are optimistic due to the increase in the number of bookings observed, the possibility of extending the tourist season through the achievement of new agreements and the strengthening of homeporting in Greek ports, since companies in the sector are moving more and more in this direction – provided, of course, that the spread of the Omicron variant will be limited quickly and effectively and the pandemic will be further contained. The sector’s companies and ports are taking all necessary measures, in accordance with the health protocols that have been imposed, to ensure that passengers have the highest possible level of safety on cruises. In any case, it is a sector that has been significantly affected by the pandemic.
 
It is also important to mention that for the first time the Hellenic Ports Association's includes data for the ports of Spetses, Hydra, Folegandros, Kalymnos, Parga, Astypalea, Tinos and Sifnos, thus making sure that the data provided are complete.