Port hierarchy and concentration: Insights from the Mediterranean cruise market

Abstract

The cruise industry provides a tourism service that is performed entirely by means of transportation: the vessel. Although different characteristics of the cruise industry are well documented in the related academic literature, the role and influence of ports (and port cities) in defining cruise organisation is relatively understudied. Using public official data collected from all the major cruise groups operating in the Mediterranean Sea, we investigate the role of the different ports (and cities) within different itineraries. The analysis highlights that although there is some sort of hierarchical structure among some main ports included in the Mediterranean cruise routes, the majority of the ports of call are in a somewhat vulnerable position within the cruise transport network. Moreover, the study discusses how ports’ characterising elements, such as excursion packages, have a strategic role in ensuring the inclusion of peripheral ports within the cruise network

‘In a rush’: Time-space compression and its impacts on cruise excursions

“…Vanolo and Cattan (2017) investigated visual representations of cruise experiences in promotional brochures, focusing on gender and mobility. Most articles focus on the economic, social and environmental impacts of cruise tourism (Cusano et al, 2017; Gutberlet, 2016b; Hritz and Cecil, 2008; Larsen et al, 2013; Larsen and Wolff, 2016; Lűck et al, 2010; MacNeill and Wozniak, 2018) the globalization and its effects on the production and consumption on board (Da Cruz, 2018; Wood, 2000) as well as on the work environment on board (Gibson, 2008; Weaver, 2005a). However, the real, lived on-site experiences of tourists on-shore are absent.…”

European Cruise ports: challenges since the pre-pandemic era

“…However, the exploration of the challenges that cruise ports need to address is, surprisingly, missing. This is even though inconsistencies of port performance, the flexibility of vessels deployment, and the opportunities available to cruise lines in shifting calls between numerous ports and destinations, produce substantial dynamics within any given cruise regionin Europe, scholarly research has detailed frequent substantial shifting of operations from East to West or the Adriatic Sea and vice versa (Cusano, Ferrari, & Tei, 2017;Pallis & Arapi, 2016), and home-porting strategies (Karlis & Polemis, 2018;Lekakou, Pallis, & Vaggelas, 2009;Niavis & Vaggelas, 2016;Papachristou, Pallis, & Vaggelas, 2020).…”

Port’s Role as a Determinant of Cruise Destination Socio-Economic Sustainability

“…Port characteristics and their services offered have a strategic role in ensuring the inclusion of peripheral ports within the cruise network. If a port does not have attractive natural/historical characteristics or a wide range of services, it may nevertheless become a cruise destination, due to its proximity to world touristic attractions and the organization of excursions [30].…”

“…The present article attempts to enrich the understanding of the port managers' contribution to destination competitiveness and the asymmetric framing of cruise stakeholders, i.e., the active participation of the port authorities and the cruise terminal managers in pulling communications of local businesses and terminal facilities. Given that the influence of the ports (and port cities) and the port terminals on the cruise organization's offer is understudied [30], this study innovates because it includes the port managers' perspective, as well as observing the port managers' actions in order to integrate local businesses in the terminal cruise facilities and in the onshore tour range. Although local businesses may contribute to the destination competitiveness in parallel with the proximity of world touristic attractions [30], excursions are mostly bought on board via global travel operators, which the port may have difficulty in controlling.…”

“…Given that the influence of the ports (and port cities) and the port terminals on the cruise organization's offer is understudied [30], this study innovates because it includes the port managers' perspective, as well as observing the port managers' actions in order to integrate local businesses in the terminal cruise facilities and in the onshore tour range. Although local businesses may contribute to the destination competitiveness in parallel with the proximity of world touristic attractions [30], excursions are mostly bought on board via global travel operators, which the port may have difficulty in controlling. This study contributes to the analysis of how port managers may bridge the relationships between local businesses and global companies, as well as attract land visitors to terminal cruise facilities, thereby helping to reduce tourism congestion.…”