Port Authority of Las Palmas Nears One Million Passengers as Cruise Tourism Surges 18.31% in February
The port system records 888,378 passengers so far this year, up 13.06% from 2025, including 710,072 cruise passengers Total traffic reaches 5,655,540 tonnes, a 4.67% increase, with growth in the ports of Las Palmas, Arrecife, Arinaga and Salinetas. (more…)
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The manifesto promotes a balanced growth model guided by innovation, social and environmental responsibility, and good corporate governance, with the ambition of building a more resilient and competitive Andalusia.
The 2026 tourist season has officially begun in Porto Santo Stefano with the arrival of the cruise ship Silver Muse, which called at Argentario on Saturday, 14 April.
Five Senses Consulting & Development has initiated a strategic collaboration with Thessaloniki Port Authority S.A. (ThPA S.A.), a MedCruise member, to support the next phase of cruise development at the Port of Thessaloniki.
The Macaronesian port association grows by 12.64% year-on-year and consolidates the ports of Las Palmas, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Funchal as the three main drivers of passenger traffic.
The ports of Palamós and Roses expect 74 cruise calls, around 70,000 passengers, and an estimated economic impact of €6.7 million this season. 
More than 40 representatives from tourist destinations and companies participate in a training day as part of the European PortCrew project. 

The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is holding its 2026 European Summit from 23 to 26 February in Funchal, bringing together cruise line executives, European and national policymakers, and maritime industry leaders to discuss sustainable growth, connectivity and destination readiness. 
MedCruise and AIVP, have brought the international Cruises & Port Cities Working Group to Taranto for its first in-person meeting, gathering around 30 port city professionals and experts from Italy, Spain, France, Greece and Portugal.
European cruise industry leaders to gather in Madeira to advance policy dialogue, sustainability, and regional development.
During the 2026 Excellence Cruise Awards held today in Madrid, a special recognition was presented to the Port Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, CLIA and MSC Cruises for the joint development of the educational programme “All Aboard”.
Five Senses Consulting & Development, in collaboration with NextPlus and EXANTAS, the Institute of the Hellenic Ports Association (ELIME), delivered a two-day Cruise Destination Development Seminar in Thessaloniki, Greece, focusing on the strategic, operational and regulatory dimensions of cruise port and destination development. 
The President of the Port Authority of Las Palmas outlined the objectives the public body aims to achieve in 2026 during a business breakfast organised by La Provincia–Prensa Ibérica.
MedCruise has established itself as a collaborative ecosystem that connects ports, destinations and professionals through trust, shared knowledge and practical cooperation.
As part of their strategic development policies in nautical tourism, and more specifically to promote the reception and dedicated services for yachts and mega-yachts in their respective ports,
The educational project “All Aboard!” was successfully delivered this weekend at FITUR, following months of joint work and institutional coordination, consolidating its position as an innovative outreach and education initiative for the port and cruise sectors.
The Port Authority of Las Palmas presents Seatrade Cruise Med 2026 at FITUR, which will make the Port of Las Palmas the host venue of the largest European cruise industry event.
A strategic meeting was held between Mr Minas Papadakis, Chief Executive Officer of Heraklion Port Authority S.A., and Mr Nikos Anastasiou, Chief Executive Officer of Heraklion International Airport of Crete S.A., focusing on strengthening Heraklion’s position as a competitive cruise homeport in the Mediterranean.
Cruise activity at the Port of Volos demonstrates a measurable recovery, based on the arrival data recorded to date, reflecting the outcomes of structured administrative actions implemented by the current management.
The port of La Estaca, in El Hierro, has welcomed on last January 9th, for the first time, the cruise vessel Wind Star, marking an important milestone for the island within the small-scale, high-value cruise segment. 

Last Saturday, the ports of Palamós and Roses closed a record-breaking cruise season on the Costa Brava. Together, the two ports registered a total of 80 calls in 2025, representing a 27% increase compared to the previous year, and welcomed 69,000 passengers, up 23% from the last season.
MedCruise delivered its 2025 Professional Development Course (PDC), offering members a focused and practical AI Training Programme designed specifically for the cruise port and destination community.
In an event that strengthens the ties between the cruise industry and the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the traditional plaque exchange ceremony was held today to commemorate the first call of the Marella Voyager at the capital’s port, which Marella Cruises has chosen as its home port for this season. 

The Port of Valencia last week hosted the final conference of the H2PORTS project, a pioneering initiative that has enabled the testing in real operations of a hydrogen-powered ReachStacker and a 4×4 tractor unit, as well as a mobile refuelling station for this clean fuel.
Five Senses Consulting marks 10 years of activity, completing a decade of work dedicated to cruise destination development, regulatory support, and strategic planning for ports and tourism authorities.
Tenerife welcomed Le Bougainville on its inaugural call, strengthening the island’s position within the premium and small-ship cruise segment that continues to gain relevance across the Atlantic basin.
ThPA S.A. and “METKA S.A. – TEKAL S.A. (PIER 6) J/V” co-signed today, Wednesday, November 19, 2025, the Construction Works Contract for the expansion of the port infrastructure of Pier 6 of the Port of Thessaloniki.
Cruises Atlantic Islands (CAI) held its II General Assembly on 17 November, bringing together the ports of the Macaronesia region to review shared priorities and agree on the strategic roadmap for the coming year. 
