Spain Set to Welcome Over 12.8 Million Cruise Passengers in 2024

In 2024, Spain’s maritime sector saw an impressive increase, welcoming over 12.8 million cruise ship tourists, marking a 6.7% rise compared to 2023. This surge was accompanied by an additional 200 ship calls, bringing the total to 4,700 for the year. When factoring in regular passenger ferry services, which carried approximately 28 million passengers, the total shipping traffic in Spain reached a remarkable 40.8 million.

Among the ports, Port Barcelona continued to shine as a leading cruise destination, hosting 3.6 million passengers—a 2.4% increase from the previous year. Noteworthy mentions include the Balearic Islands with 2.5 million passengers, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, which welcomed 1.8 million (a 23.7% increase), and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, attracting 1.3 million passengers (up by 19%).

December 2024 was particularly exceptional, seeing over 2.7 million passengers use Spanish ports—an impressive 9.4% increase from December 2023. Among these, 914,468 were cruise travelers, representing a substantial 23.6% growth.

These figures highlight Spain’s strong recovery and growth in maritime tourism, surpassing pre-pandemic levels and showcasing the nation’s lasting appeal to cruise travelers.

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