The anticipated tripling of confirmed cruise ship arrivals in the city of Thessaloniki in 2022 justifies the government’s strategy for the cruise sector, Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias stated Thursday.

“Our strategic aim at the Tourism Ministry is a sustainable growth model for cruises in Greece. For Thessaloniki, the target is for the city’s port to become a home port and hub for cruise tourism. This means that Thessaloniki port will be where cruises begin and end, with passengers embarking and/or disembarking, something that will revive the local economy, with a significant impact on the hotel sector but also… generating income for the city and its inhabitants,” he said.

The combination of the new Thessaloniki international airport and port is set to change the cruise tourism map. The benefits from this increase are not just the huge developmental boost for the city itself, but also the strengthening of the tourism potential of Macedonia and northern Greece, offering a tourism experience that incorporates all forms of tourism. The cruises are to begin on March 6, 2022, earlier than in any other year, and 60% of the voyages in 2022 will be “home port,” something that will continue to increase in 2023.

This article was previously published at ekathimerini.com.