Freeport of Riga said in its latest announcement that cruise travel is currently one of the most rapidly growing tourism segments in the world, chosen for recreation by approximately 23 million passengers every year.
Market trends suggest that the number of cruise passengers may increase by another third by 2030, revealing more and more new tourist routes and market niches.
A significant increase in the number of cruise passengers has also been observed at the Port of Riga for several years now.
According to the Freeport of Riga Authority, the number of cruise ships continues to grow in 2018 as well; at the moment, 91 cruise ships, including six ships set to visit Riga for the first time, have already applied for entry to the Port of Riga this season.
“ An increase in the number of cruises in the Port of Riga is a vivid result of the purposeful work which we have carried out for several years in order to put Riga in capital letters on the world’s map of cruise routes in spite of tough competition, thus proving ourselves to be a safe, hospitable and appealing destination to passengers, ” Ansis Zeltiņš, Freeport of Riga CEO.
During the last week, the management of the Freeport of Riga Authority, together with partners from the Riga Passenger Terminal, Riga Tourism Development Bureau and representatives of travel agencies representing Riga, participated in the largest exhibition and conference of the cruise industry Seatrade Cruise Global 2018.
“ The name of Riga is already known to the industry. By maintaining the high quality of service and competitive tourism offers, we have the potential of ensuring that Riga becomes an even more popular point on the cruise tourism road ,” Zeltiņš said, adding that the dredging of the main navigation channel, increasing the maximum depth of the navigation channel planned to be completed by the beginning of this year’s cruise ship season, will ensure a possibility of welcoming even bigger and more voluminous cruise ships in the Port of Riga in years to come.
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