Cruise activity is a dynamic element for tourism and for the economy of cities like Barcelona. With 2.5 million cruise passengers per year, Barcelona has become the leading cruise port in Europe and the Mediterranean and the fourth cruise port worldwide. The study, commissioned by the Port of Barcelona and Turisme de Barcelona, analyses the impact of cruise activity on the city and regional economy and the socioeconomic profile of visiting cruise passengers.
It consists of two parts. The first part, conducted by the University of Barcelona, analyses the impact of the cruise activity generated by the Port of Barcelona to the economy of the city and the region. The report calculates the economic impact of the cruise sector through its contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), employment, labour income and tax income. It also assesses the benefits of cruise activity to sectors other than tourism. The second part, conducted by the Instituto DYM, studies the cruise passenger profiles in Barcelona and analyses their demographic characteristics, types of cruise and their relationship with the city in general.
The study concludes that the cruise activity in the port of Barcelona:
- Generates annual turnover of € 796 million in Catalonia (2.2 million each day).
- Contributes € 413 million to Catalonia’s GDP.
- Generates € 152 million in tax revenue.
- Maintains nearly 7,000 full-time jobs.
- Provides flight connectivity to Barcelona airport.
- Generates economic stability and encourages new businesses in other sectors of the city.
- Benefits sectors linked to tourism and to other industrial and service sectors.