23% increase in cruise passengers in first seven months of 2023

The official data from Corfu Port Authority (OLKE) for the first seven months of 2023 shows a significant increase in the number of cruise passengers. Even though there are still two months left for the completion of the cruise season, the number of passengers has almost reached the levels of 2022, despite there being fewer cruise ship arrivals.

The previous season ended with 527,609 cruise passengers having come to Corfu Port. However, from March to September 2023, the number of cruise visitors amounted to 524,394, with the current year's season not yet over, as there are cruise ship arrivals scheduled for both November and December.

The number of cruise passengers this year is 98,033 higher, compared to the first seven months of 2022 - a 23% increase. In the period from March to September 2022, there were 426,361 cruise visitors.

Fewer cruise ship arrivals

With regard to passenger traffic, with the exception of the month of April, which saw a decline (21,445 visitors compared to 31,225 in 2022), the other months had particularly high numbers.

Specifically, in May, there were 83,322 visitors (up from 64,320), in June, there were 100,047 visitors (up from 74,534), in July, there were 111,279 visitors (up from 76,144), in August, there were 110,229 visitors (up from 98,451), and in September, there were 96,178 visitors (up from 79,828).

"We are returning to normal levels for cruise tourism," Spyros Zervopoulos, the CEO of OLKE, told Enimerosi. "The new season in 2024 may be at the same or even slightly higher levels. Passenger traffic has not increased only in the cruise sector but overall at the port of Corfu. It's October, and we are already above last year's numbers."

The high number of visitors, however, once again raises the issue of Corfu's carrying capacity. The old town becomes congested every summer with hordes of tourists, and now, in addition to the visitors enjoying their holidays, there are also the day-trippers from the cruise ships.

"The destination can endure as long as we manage it properly," stated Mr. Zervopoulos. "The sustainability of a destination concerns not only the permanent residents of an area but also the cruise companies themselves, so that their customers are satisfied."

In this context, the Deputy Mayor of Tourism, Panos Varouchas, told Enimerosi that OLKE, in collaboration with the Central Corfu Municipality, joined forces with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) two years ago for the evaluation of sustainability goals at the local level and the design of a "roadmap" for the development of sustainable tourism. Furthermore, he said that the issue of cruise sustainability was discussed at the 62nd General Assembly of Mediterranean Ports – MedCruise, which took place a few months ago in Corfu.

Points of interest outside Corfu Town

He pointed out that the big challenge is managing the flows in such a way that all the tourist traffic isn't channeled into the historic centre, prioritising other points of interest for visits outside the town. Paleokastritsa, Lakones, Mon Repos, as well as businesses offering traditional products, have now become destinations for cruise passengers to visit.

Additionally, OLKE is already implementing the berth allocation system for the distribution of arrivals and the equitable distribution of cruise ships on all days of the week. This is done not only by the port of Corfu but also in collaboration with neighbouring ports through which a cruise passes.