As the 8th Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum (PSTF) opens its doors in Heraklion this May, the spotlight is firmly on the Eastern Mediterranean, where the cruise industry faces multiple challenges potentially slowing its growth. These range from concerns about overcrowding and its strain on local environments and resources to port infrastructure deficiencies and geopolitical uncertainties.

Under the theme “The Med: A Compelling Need for New Marquee Ports & Destinations,” this year’s forum will bring together key industry stakeholders, industry leaders and policy makers to explore these pressing issues and find solutions. Discussions will focus on solutions and strategies to overcome these challenges while unlocking new opportunities for sustainable and consistent growth.

“The wider Eastern Mediterranean faces complex dynamics,” said George Koumpenas, President, Hellenic Cruise Ship Owners and Associated Members’ Union (EEKFN), “The ongoing Gaza conflict and escalating security risks in the Red Sea have significantly contracted the cruise footprint across the region, echoing patterns last seen after the Arab Spring. Key markets such as Israel, Egypt, Cyprus, and parts of Southern Turkey are experiencing a notable downturn.”

Despite these pressures, Greece has demonstrated resilience, with strong recovery figures post-pandemic and promising forecasts.

According to data from the Hellenic Ports’ Association (E.LIM.E.), Greece recorded 5,490 cruise ship calls in 2024, representing a total of 7,927,709 passenger visits – an increase of 260 calls and 924,559 passenger movements compared to the previous year. Homeporting activity continues its upward trend, with Piraeus leading the charge with 635 cruise turnarounds and over 1.1 million passengers, followed by Corfu, Heraklion, Lavrion, and Thessaloniki.

But challenges to further growth remain. Although the region recovered quickly after the pandemic crisis, Turkey has yet to reach its erstwhile heights as a dominant cruise magnet. With a potential reopening of cruising in the Black Sea not in sight, coupled with Turkey’s slower recovery, the performance of Greek ports in the Northern and Eastern Aegean sea has also been impacted to a degree.

These fast-changing dynamics and the disparity in the growth pattern between destinations in the same region, make itinerary and vessel deployment planning even more complex. The trend of cruise lines also deploying larger vessels in the Eastern Mediterranean to meet growing demand is going to feature high in the list of PSTF topics. While these ships offer economies of scale and increased passenger capacity, they strain the region’s port and tourism infrastructure, especially when there are multiple ships in port. Marquee destinations are now imposing daily passenger caps or passenger taxes, as is the case with Santorini and its 8,000-person per day limit, while other ports are contemplating similar restrictions.

Without coordinated action, infrastructure limitations could hinder further growth. “A more holistic and forward-thinking development strategy is now essential,” said Athanasios Liagos, Chairman, E.LIM.E. “Investments must be directed at both expanding and modernising Greek ports, and also those at smaller emerging destinations, and at the same time safeguarding the cultural and environmental heritage that makes these destinations attractive in the first place.”

Cruise stakeholders will call for enhanced collaboration between governments and the cruise industry to earmark specific destinations for sustainable expansion. Larger vessels are expected to remain the industry standard, making it crucial to identify ports with the capacity – and the means and ambition – to upgrade facilities without compromising authenticity.

“As operators, we see enormous potential in the East Med beyond the traditional hotspots,” commented Manolis Alevropoulos, Vice President, Marine Operations, Celebrity Cruises – Royal Caribbean Group. “With the right infrastructure and destination management, several underutilized ports could emerge as marquee destinations in their own right, unlocking tremendous value for travellers and local economies alike.”

There are several mainland and island destinations across the whole region with great potential for an infrastructure upgrade that could support larger vessels and provide valuable travel experiences, but remain dormant and unexploited. Any future growth strategy will have to take this destination potential into account.

Sponsors for the 2025 PSTF include: Diamond sponsor Heraklion Port Authority, Gold sponsors Region of Crete and Hellenic Organisation of Cultural Resources Development (ODAP), Silver Sponsors Greek National Tourism Organization and Piraeus Port Authority, Bronze sponsors Celestyal and Kyvernitis Travel Group, Sponsors Thessaloniki Port Authority and Minoan Lines, Supporters Heraklion International Airport and Creta Interclinic, Official Airline SKY express, and is organized under the auspices of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs & Insular Policy, the Ministry of Tourism, and the Municipality of Heraklion and is supported by the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the Association of Mediterranean Cruise Ports (MedCruise), the Union of Cruise Ship Owners & Associated Members of Greece, and the Panhellenic Ship Suppliers and Supporters Association.

For additional information, Press inquiries should be directed to:
Artemis Vamvakopoulou, Posidonia Press Officer, EXTROVERT | Business Communications | Tel: +30 210 6724265, Email: posidoniapress@extrovert.gr
Maria Photou, Marketing & Events Coordinator, Posidonia Exhibitions S.A. | Tel: +30 210 4283608, Email: mphotou@posidonia-events.com