Greece Aiming for March 2022 Cruise Travel Start

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) – Europe and the Greek Tourism Ministry are aiming to kickstart cruise travel to Greece in March 2022.

The decision was announced following a meeting in Athens between Tourism Minister Vasilis Kikilias, Marie-Caroline Laurent, director general CLIA in Europe and Maria Deligianni, CLIA National Director – Eastern Mediterranean.

Topping the agenda were actions required to by both sides to enable cruise travel earlier next year. Laurent commended Greece on the successful management of the pandemic, underlining the importance of stringent health protocols that were in place enabling tourism flows and the international launch of cruise operations from Greece, bringing the country into the spotlight as a cruise travel destination.

Tourism Minister Vasilis Kikilias with Maria Deligianni, CLIA National Director – Eastern Mediterranean, and Marie-Caroline Laurent, director general CLIA in Europe.

Kikilias pledged to work with CLIA in the upcoming period to materialize Greece’s plans to tap into cruise travel and establish the country as cruise destination as well as extend the tourism season.

In this direction, he said, the government would be channeling EU recovery funds into infrastructure upgrades that will facilitate cruise ship arrivals. Additionally, Kikilias said the tourism ministry was working with stakeholders to set up a cruise ship management platform to facilitate travel at popular destinations and establish Greece’s position in international cruise travel.

On her part, Deligianni referred to the importance of a recent decision by Greece to allow the arrival of cruise ships originating or passing through the Turkish ports of Kusadasi and Galata.