Cruises and ferries are growing in the Adriatic but not at precovid levels

Ferries between +5 and + 10%

According to estimates, passengers handled by ferry in 2023 will return to above 18 million (+ 5-10% on 2022). Analyzing passenger movements on ferries, hydrofoils and catamarans, the 14 main ports of the Adriatic are expecting, by 2023, an increase in traffic compared to the current year, albeit with different intensity: on the one hand, in the eastern Adriatic, it is more marked growth is expected thanks to the strengthening of internal connections between the mainland and the islands; on the other hand, moderate growth or substantial stability is expected compared to 2022.

As for boating, between the second half of 2022 and 2024 the Adriatic will see new moorings in nine structures (7 new and 2 expansion projects) for a total of over 3 thousand new berths, with investments exceeding 100 million euro, between Italy, Croatia and Albania.

2023 in the Adriatic, says Francesco di Cesare, president of Tourism Answers, it will be «growing compared to 2022 for the whole of maritime tourism, but we are still far from the precovid levels. “The offer is growing, the demand is growing, the result of investments, of the speed of the operators to resume their prepandemic arrangements, as well as of the desire on the part of tourists to return to vacation”.

The volumes of 2019 are far away

However, continues di Cesare, “the volumes will not return to those recorded in 2019. This applies to cruising, which in the Adriatic also discounts the limited access of ships to Venice, it applies to ferry and hydrofoil traffic which, if on the one hand it does not will show significant differences compared to 2019, continues not to accelerate in terms of available connections, and this applies to boating, since the number of structures available along the Adriatic coast, as well as the attractive potential of the various destinations in the area, could generate a much wider traffic than the current one “.

According to Caesar, «it is right, therefore, to underline the growth forecasts for 2023 compared to 2022, as well as this year’s numbers higher than those of the previous one; but, at the same time, it is necessary to reflect on the elements that prevent a more rapid recovery of the precovid levels ».