Adriatic Sea Forum zu Bari Süditalien fir 5. Editioun

D'Adriatic Sea Cruises Wuesstumsprognose vum "Risposte Turismo" (RT) op der fënnefter Editioun vum Adriatic Sea Forum - Cruise, Fähr, Sail & Yacht zu Bari wäert bis zu 23% am Joer 2023 sinn.

The sea cruise sector will lead millions of passengers in 2023 (+ 27% in 2022). Also, the ferry and hydrofoils will handle over 18 million passengers (+ 5-10% in 2022), and the nautical sector with over 100 million euros in investments has planned nine nautical structures and over 3,000 new berths by 2024.

Numbers emerging from the new edition of the Adriatic Sea Tourism Report, as well as the research report by Risposte Turismo were presented by its president Francesco di Cesare.

The event, conceived by RT and organized this year in partnership with the Port System Authority of the Southern Adriatic Sea and Puglia Promotion, was once again the venue for the presentation of the research work of RT, the reliable statistical source for all operators active in maritime tourism in the area.

In terms of cruises, according to the study, 4.3 million passengers (including embarkations, disembarkations, and transits) will be handled in the cruise ports of the Adriatic, up by 27% vs. 2022 forecasts but still far from the historical record of the area that recorded 5.7 million passengers handled in 2019.

Corfu (Greece Island) will open the ranking of Adriatic cruise ports, with over half a million passengers expected. Similar performances are also expected from Dubrovnik (525,000) and Kotor (over 500,000).

The Apulian ports of the Adriatic are expected to accommodate over half a million passengers, in particular in the ports of Bari and Brindisi. The forecast is the result of the projection made by “RT” on the estimate of 16 cruise ports on the Adriatic that in 2022 represented 69% of the total passengers handled and 70% of the ship touched.

Analyzing the movement of passengers on ferries, hydrofoils, and catamarans, according to the Adriatic Sea Tourism Report, the 14 main ports of the Adriatic are expecting an increase in traffic by 2023 compared to 2022, albeit with different intensity: on the one hand, in the ‘Eastern Adriatic, more marked growth is expected due to the strengthening of internal connections between the mainland and the islands that foresee a limited growth or substantial stability compared to 2022.

In total, the threshold of 18 million passengers will be exceeded (+ 5-10% in 2022).

Among the seaports examined, positive forecasts are foreseen for Zadar (2.3 million, + 4% over 2022), Dubrovnik (480,000, + 3%), Sibenik (137,000, + 3%), Rijeka (134,000, + 60%).

Good performances in Bari and Brindisi, for which an increase of  10% is expected and which should therefore exceed approximately 1.400 million passengers, respectively.

As for boating, with reference to the new marinas and the investments planned, between the second part of 2022 and 2024 the Adriatic will record new moorings in nine structures (seven new ones and two expanded projects) for a total of over 3,000 new berths, with investments exceeding 100 million euros, in  Italy, Croatia and Albania.

Analyzing the geographical distribution of structures and berths, among the countries bordering the area, Italy maintains its leadership with 189 marinas (56.1% of the total) and 48,677 berths (61.5% of the total). Second, comes Croatia (126 marinas – 37.4% of the total – and almost 21,000 berths – 26.4% of the total), ahead of Montenegro (3,545 berths – 4.5% of the total – and 8 marinas – 2.4% of the total).

“With our research work, we have gathered information that allows us to outline a growth in 2023 compared to 2022 for all maritime tourism in the Adriatic,” said Francesco di Cesare. “The growth and the demand is growing, as a result of investments, of speed on the part of the operators to resume the pre-pandemic conditions, as well as the desire on the part of tourists to return to vacation.

“However, the volumes are far from those recorded in 2019. This applies to cruising, which in the Adriatic is penalized by the limited access of ships to the Venice shore, it applies to ferry and hydrofoil traffic which, while it will not show a significant increase compared to 2019, continues not to accelerate in terms of available connections, and is valid for boating since the number of facilities available along the Adriatic coast, as well as the attractive potential of the various destinations in the area, could generate much larger traffic compared to the current figures.

“It is fair to underline the growth forecasts for 2023 compared to 2022, as well as the numbers for this year higher than those of the previous one, but at the same time it is necessary to reflect elements that prevent a more rapid recovery of pre-Covid levels and impetus towards results that more deserves an area of great potential and wealth like the Adriatic.”

During the two days of the forum, there were 12 different appointments, which involved over 50 international speakers.

They will hold the next edition of the event in Dubrovnik in spring 2023.