Arrecife Ayuntamiento is championing Lanzarote’s potential as a base island for major cruise lines at this week’s Seatrade Europe, the largest cruise industry fair in Europe, held in Hamburg.
Photos: Ayuntamiento de Arrecife
The event gathers the world’s leading cruise tourism companies, port authorities, and terminal operators, positioning Arrecife among the key strategic players in this rapidly growing market.
Leading the delegation, Mayor Yonathan de León and Tourism Councillor Eli Merino held a pivotal working meeting on the fair’s opening day with Fabian Nissen, Port Operations Manager for industry giant Carnival Cruises. The objective is for Carnival-owned lines – such as Aída, Costa, and P&O, which already bring significant passenger numbers to the Canaries – to designate Arrecife as a home port for their North Atlantic circuits in the medium to long term.
The Arrecife officials were joined by executives from Global Ports, the administrator of the city’s two modern cruise terminals at Los Mármoles and Naos.
Arrecife Leads in Cruise Stopovers for New Season
Mayor de León, who serves as the only Lanzarote representative on the board of the Las Palmas Port Authority, provided data confirming Arrecife’s leading role. According to APLP figures, the capital is scheduled to receive 352 cruise ship stopovers through May 2026 – an 18% increase over the previous season.
The new autumn and winter season will commence this Sunday, September 14th, with the arrival of the British cruise ship Ventura, carrying over 2,000 passengers from southern England.
Securing Home Port Status
Councillor Merino highlighted the tangible results of the city’s promotional efforts, noting that attendance at last year’s WTV Fair in London directly led to agreements with MSC Cruises. The Italian-Swiss company has confirmed it will use Arrecife as a home port at the end of this year, as well as in 2026 and 2027.
“Being a home port allows for much more revenue from tourists traveling on cruise ships,” Merino emphasised, underscoring the significant economic upside for the local economy.
During the Hamburg fair, the Arrecife delegation also reviewed the positive growth forecasts for European cruise tourism presented by Puertos del Estado, to which Arrecife is attached. The industry is experiencing double-digit growth rates in the wake of the pandemic.
The trip culminated in the signing of new collaboration and support agreements for the Arrecife Cruise Terminal with executives from Global Ports, including Regional Director Francesc Grau and Operations Director for the Canaries, Dan García.
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