1 800 cruise travellers arrived in Malmö - new cruise terminal inaugurated
On Saturday Malmö's new cruise ship terminal in Frihamnen was inaugurated as the cruise ship M/S Empress docked in the city for the first time. The 35 000 travellers arriving each season will bring a proper upswing to the tourism industry.
"This is an important and long-awaited step towards making Malmö an established cruise destination. Through this development we have created additional space for the jumbo cruise ships in Copenhagen", says Johan Röstin, CEP for CMP, which is anticipating more small and mid-sized cruise traffic in the long term.
The new cruise terminal was inaugurated by Kent Andersson, Chairman of the local government authority. The old wharf storehouse M 16 in Frihamnen has been converted into a cruise terminal. Recently a new cycle track and walkway was completed from Frihamnen to Malmö City.
In connection with each cruise ship docking around 1 800 Spanish cruise passengers arrive at Frihamnen via Malmö Airport. A similar number of travellers disembark from their cruise on the same day, returning to Madrid and Barcelona on Pullman Tours' flights. This passenger flow generates many new jobs in the form of, for example, guides, coach drivers, check-in personnel, welcoming personnel and baggage handling.
"This is without doubt one of the most positive things to have happened to tourism in Malmö. The cruise traffic strengthens the tourism industry in the form of jobs and tourism-related income, and the city as an international attraction. Through the onshore tour programme that the travellers can avail themselves of, other parts of the Öresund region have the opportunity to create an image for themselves", says Johan Hermansson, Director of Tourism.
CMP, Malmö Airport and Pullman Tours have been collaborating closely for a long time to create a good cruise product, where the transfer between aircraft and ship have been in focus.
"Together we have created an attractive offer which is comfortable for the passengers. This was what tipped the balance for Pullman Tours to finally choose Malmö", explains Peter Weinhandl, Airport Director at Malmö Airport.
The contract runs to the end of 2015.
Questions and comments:
Johan Röstin, CEO at CMP AB, tel: +46 (0) 40-680 41 00
Johan Hermansson, Director of Tourism, City of Malmö, tel: +46 (0) 70-144 26 00
Peter Weinhandl, Airport Director, Malmö Airport, tel: +46(0)10-10 94 505
Photos from the inauguration are available at http://www.cmport.com/news-and-media/images/pr/malmo%20cruise%20terminal. Photos from the ceremony at the airport are available through Malmö Airport's press room at Mynewsdesk, www.mynewsdesk.com. Search for "swedavia malmö airport".
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