After Dubrovnik and Split, is Rijeka the next star on the Croatian cruising scene?
In the first eight months of this year, a total of 109,924 passengers have passed through the port of Rijeka, which represents a decrease of 7 percent in comparison with the same period last year. That main reason for the decrease is the fact that Jadrolinija has discontinued the Rijeka – Dubrovnik line, so the majority of passengers this year came to Rijeka in catamarans, reports Novi List on October 13, 2015.
Despite the overall decline, the port of Rijeka recorded an increase of almost 59 percent in the number of passengers in large sailboats and cruisers, with 10,966 such passengers this year. The data does not include September and October, when additional around 3,000 passengers arrived, so it is evident that the passenger traffic on sailboats and cruisers recorded strong growth this year.
According to Vlado Mezak, director of the Port of Rijeka, Rijeka has begun working on its cruising strategy with the development of the action plan for Rijeka as a tourist destination for cruisers. The action plan is being prepared by the Port of Rijeka, in cooperation with the Rijeka Tourist Board and the city authorities.
“We simply cannot influence the decision whether the coastal line with Dubrovnik will be continued or not. Of course, we would like the line to be re-established, but this is primarily a business decision by Jadrolinija, which has to take into account market principles and the viability of the line. We are trying to compensate for the loss of passengers with an increase in the number of cruisers. This year, for the first time in history, we have accommodated ships with the largest possible draft, thanks to the fact that we have found an alternative solution for the mooring of the cruise ships at the eastern part of the Brajdica container terminal. There is an increased interest of cruise organizers, so for the next year we have already received 15 inquiries, which means that next season we can expect the arrival of 15 cruise ships, and possibly even more”, Mezak explained.
He added that the interest in Rijeka as a cruising destination for the 2016 season has been expressed by the following shipping companies: Silversea, Thomson Cruises, All Leisure Group, Fred Olsen Cruise Line, Saga Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Lines and Princess Cruises. Ten of the inquiries are from shipping companies which have never before used the port of Rijeka, so the first impression they will have of Rijeka will be the key for their possible return in the years to come.
