From June 10 to 13, 2025, the city of Cartagena (Spain) hosted the 66th General Assembly of MedCruise, the Association of Mediterranean Cruise Ports. The event brought together port authorities, cruise lines, and sector experts to address current challenges and opportunities in the cruise industry. AIVP was represented by Dr. José M P Sánchez, Director of Agenda 2030, Projects and Content.
Dr. Sánchez participated as a speaker in the session titled “Cruise Passenger Experience & Community Engagement,” which focused on how destinations can enhance cruise visitor experiences while ensuring positive outcomes for local communities. Moderated by Laura Cimaglia, Vice President of MedCruise, the panel included representatives from MSC Cruises, Carnival Corporation, the Port Authority of Cartagena, and Five Senses Consulting.
In his intervention, Dr. José M P Sánchez highlighted the ongoing collaboration between AIVP and MedCruise through the joint Working Group on “Cruise and Port Cities.” He briefly presented the objectives and current progress of the group, which he co-leads with MedCruise Vice President Laura Cimaglia. His remarks focused on the importance of building strong cooperation between the two organizations to support more sustainable and inclusive approaches in cruise-port-city relations, in line with AIVP’s Agenda 2030.
A New Chapter for the AIVP–MedCruise Working Group
Just a few weeks before the Assembly, on May 27, 2025, the AIVP–MedCruise Working Group launched its second phase during an online meeting. This new phase will bring together representatives from ports, cities, and cruise companies to focus on community engagement and flow management and mobility. Participants will discuss best practices to increase the engagement of cruise companies with the local context and how to optimize passenger movements, including among other potential topics how to improve urban transport connections, and align cruise operations with local mobility strategies.
The Cartagena Assembly provided the perfect platform to introduce this renewed focus, underscoring the shared commitment to enhancing operational efficiency and community well-being through coordinated efforts among all stakeholders.
