The cruise sector has responded to the latest demand by the Platform Against Megacruises for a stricter limit on cruise ships in Palma by refuting a claim that 546 ships are scheduled for this year. This would represent an increase, but the number is said to be around 500, pretty much in line with 2024.
The agreement between the Balearic Government and cruise operators, due to expire at the end of next year, was for a maximum of three cruise ships with more than 500 passengers per day and for only one to be as many as 5,000 or more.
According to Beatriz Orejudo, CEO of the Lantimar shipping agent, the agreement is being observed. She is one of the sector's representatives for the government's tourism sustainability pact. Saying that the sector is open to dialogue regarding a new agreement, she explains that the existing arrangement was voluntary, adding that "before entering into an agreement, other aspects should be considered and verification given that overcrowding is really coming from cruise ships; we believe not."
Orejudo points out that the total number of cruise passengers arriving in Palma fell by 1.5% to 1.8 million in 2024, while the drop in transit passengers was greater - 4.5% to 318,000. The platform's projections are based on an unrealistic extrapolation from arrivals over the first few months of this year. She notes that an aim has been to boost the low season.
Speaking on behalf of the platform on Thursday, Jaume Garau of the Palma XXI association said "the supposed wealth that cruises bring isn't that great". Orejudo maintains that studies show that Palma businesses benefited to the tune of 31.8 million euros in 2024 but that this was down from 33.3 million in 2023, when there were 1.9 million passenger arrivals, and down from 37.1 million euros in 2019 (2.2 million passengers).
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31.8 million € / 1.8 million passengers equates to some 17€ per passenger. I thought the spending per passenger was approximately 30€. The reference is to business income. Port fees would go to government, so not included? How are port fees paid reported? What percentage of government revenue do port fees represent? Is government quietly unwilling to forego that revenue? How do we replace the revenue that would be lost with fewer ships?
No No of course not. Those five arrivals in one day don't overcrowd the city at all. And they spend lots of money. On that last point we need to know if this 30M figure they arrive at includes port and ancillary charges which I assume go to central government who own the port .
Of course they don't believe they are responsible. We've heard exactly the same from the hoteliers and the car rental agencies! Nobody's to blame if the words of these prime culprits are to be believed. What is unarguable is that firstly these cruise ship tourists clog up the streets as they shuffle along ear pieces in their ears mindlessly following a guide with an umbrella. Secondly, per capita they add very, very little to the local economy - maybe stopping to buy an ice cream and a couple of postcards before rushing back to the ship for the start of the lunch buffet. Finally, these ships are the most polluting visitors, their engines running 24/7 belching toxic fumes into our city - where local residents are being forced towards more environmentally friendly low emission cars whilst these beasts go unregulated. I say that we don't need these cruise ships at all. Don't just cap them, ban them altogether. What do others think??
Yet what is it worth to the cruise sector ?