Interest has been declared by the European cruise industry to invest in closer ties with commercial ports and port associations.
The key areas on which cruise-liner companies and ports should work together are 'historic' sites, such as Venice, or alternatively by modernising outdated areas, according to Italian news agency ANSA Med.
Pierfrancesco Vago, president the largest European cruise-company Clia Europe believes: ''Cooperation with port associations is crucial for the whole sector.”
Adding that a ''relationship based on common interests and reciprocal respect will make our success more likely in the long term.”
Vago concluded: ''We fully support the need to protect destinations and we want to place cruises at the forefront of sustainable tourism. Certain ports are not keeping up with our industry's growth and urgent modernisations are necessary.”