Cyprus Mail 15 April 2023 - by Kyriacos Nikolaou
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| The Jewel of the Seas at Limassol port |
Limassol mayor Nicos Nicolaides this week spoke on the city’s efforts to prepare for a busy tourist summer season, particularly in terms of visitors arriving on cruise ships.
According to Nicolaides, the Municipality of Limassol is collaborating with all relevant agencies to prepare for the arrival of more than 200 cruise ships and over 300,000 tourists expected during this year’s summer season.
Nicolaides told the Cyprus News Agency that a meeting was held on Wednesday morning at the municipal hall of Limassol to discuss the matter.
The meeting was attended by representatives from the Deputy Ministries of Tourism and Shipping, the managing company of the city’s cruise terminal DP World Limassol, the Department of Transport, the Limassol Development Company (Etal), the Limassol Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Emel), and other official stakeholders.
The Limassol mayor explained that an ad hoc committee has been established to process suggestions regarding actions related to welcoming and providing a great experience for tourists during their short stay.
“There will be a series of cultural and sporting events and activities, so that the whole package is as expansive as possible and covers all the preferences that visitors may have,” he said.
Nicolaides continued by saying that Limassol is becoming an important cruise hub in the Mediterranean region, and it is crucial that tourists feel welcome upon arrival and experience all that Limassol and Cyprus have to offer during their stay.
What is more, the Mayor of Limassol also highlighted the need for the creation of infrastructure along the city’s coastal road, from the new port to the Limassol marina, due to the increase in cruises.
“We will discuss the issue of the coastal road with the relevant ministries, seeking to facilitate the acceleration of its reconstruction and utilisation, as well as some other direct actions that the co-competent ministries and government departments should promote,” Nicolaides stated.
Nicolaides also said that the majority of cruise ships for this year are expected in October and November.
Regarding DP World Limassol, the company has previously explained that it has managed to come closer to its goal of establishing Limassol port as a major cruise destination in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The company processed approximately 200,000 passengers and 165 cruise ships in 2022, an increase of 338 per cent and 46 per cent respectively over the previous year.
“Committed to transforming Limassol port into a major trading hub, DP World increased total cargo tonnage by 63 per cent, compared with 2021, handling almost 1 million tonnes,” the company said.
At the same time, the port’s maritime trailer transport (Roll on Roll Off Multi-Purpose) traffic grew by 162 per cent year-on-year at the end of 2022, with the number of trailers handled rising to 67,529.
Moreover, the terminal moved a total of 22,244 vehicles in 2022, recording a 35 per cent increase compared with 2021.
“Amid a period of uncertainty, our terminal recorded impressive figures last year 2022, bringing Limassol port closer to its goal of becoming a port of choice in the region,” DP World Limassol CEO Nawaf Abdulla said.
“By undertaking a series of targeted investments in equipment, technology and infrastructure, we improved the port’s overall performance and increased our cargo handling capacity, while attracting a number of major cruise lines,” he added.
