Incorporating sustainability into industry familiarization trips

Since 2019, each year ICCS Corp has selected different cruise ports and destinations, planning and organizing procedures, in collaboration with local stakeholders, in order to provide Professional Trips of Discovery and Familiarization (PFAM Trips). The criteria for the selected cruise ports and destinations are: the sustainability plan, effective management of cruise traffic, enrichment of the cruise tourism product and excursions, information and training of local tourism service providers, benefits from the cruise business development locally and regionally, the balance of economic and social development locally and regionally, the ‘off the beaten path’ cruise destinations development, marquee destinations procedures, etc.

For the Cyclades Islands cruise traffic/calls (except the marquee islands of Mykonos & Santorini) from 2016 till 2024 (not incl 2020-22) the average increase in luxury segment cruise traffic is between 5.5% and 7.2% per year. For Kavala port and destination the increase between cruise season 2023 & 2024 is 25% (calls and cruise guests) and for 2025 season is expected to be 35% from last year.

The feedback from the Chamber of Commerce members in Souda port, Chania, Crete is very positive about the benefits from cruise development (University of Crete, 2024 study).

“Starting in 2016 the joint effort to create positive results and benefits, through cruise development, to the local communities of the Cyclades Islands, we have today reached the ideal mix of cruise calls of all the categories and especially of the luxury segment. We continue this effort as an equal partner with CLIA, especially today when sustainability takes on a new meaning with specific environmental goals, to achieve even more.”
Giannis Roussos, President, Cyclades Chamber – President, INSULEUR Network of the Insular Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the European Union.