Evaluating the effect of internal and external factors on the competitiveness of cruise ports

Abstract

The indisputable dynamics of cruise tourism have mobilized port authorities towards the strengthening of cruise activities. Gradually, cruise related international literature is enriched with empirical studies seeking to reveal the factors that shape the attractiveness of each cruise port. The primary target of the present paper is to collect and present in a coded context the main findings of the previous empirical studies. In a further step, the results of the literature review are used as a means for evaluating the competitiveness of the Greek cruise ports against their Mediterranean counterparts and revealing the factors that influence the cruise traffic of the Greek ports. The empirical analysis in the Greek port system testifies that adequate infrastructures enhance the total traffic of cruise ports, whilst, especially for homeporting, a large market and a wealthy hinterland are considered as additional crucial enabling factors. Finally, as far as the future prospects of the Greek cruise market are concerned, these seem to be impended by the relative lack of infrastructures found in the Greek ports and the unstable political environment of the adjacent East European and North African countries.