Green Cruises Like Eco-Cruising Fu_Tour Appeal to Generation Z
PRESS RELEASE
GREEN CRUISES LIKE ECO-CRUISING FU_TOUR APPEAL TO GENERATION Z
THE CRUISE MARKET AND THE DIGITAL TRANSITION: TOWARDS NET-ZERO FOR COASTAL AREAS WITH THE ECO-CRUISING FU_TOUR PROJECT
The latest trends in the cruise market indicate two very clear directions: a major upturn in the market and an unequivocal orientation towards environmental sustainability.
Concerning the trend, in 2023 over 25.8 million passengers were welcomed by the top 20 Mediterranean ports alone (+51.4%) and 13.8 million travelled within Italy (+48.4%), with flows remaining stable in 2024 (SOURCE: ENIT Research Department based on CLIA 2023 data).
On sustainability, to cite just a few examples, cruise lines are investing in fuel flexibility, including LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas), the cleanest fuel currently available on a large scale. LNG-fuelled ships and infrastructure will be able to use and supply renewable bio and synthetic LNG with little or no modification, reducing NOx emissions by around 85% and achieving up to a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
The cruise industry is exploring sustainable marine fuels, including advanced biofuels and other renewable energy solutions such as synthetic fuels, methanol, hydrogen, fuel cells and electric batteries.
ENIT, in line with the policies defined by the Italian Ministry of Tourism, joins the other leading countries in the Mediterranean cruise market (Spain, Greece, Morocco, Cyprus and Algeria) as partner of the European project ECO-CRUISING FU_TOUR. The goal is to offer innovative routes and solutions that pave the way towards Net-Zero for coastal areas, by introducing a new experience for young segments/targets of the cruise world. The idea is to combine a smart (digital) and eco-sustainable offering designed to develop the green and blue potential of Western Mediterranean tourism SMEs through cross-border cooperation in order to unlock new business opportunities in the new eco-cruise tourism sector.
The project envisages eco-smart cruise packages aimed at Millennials and Gen Z and in fact favours the cruise destinations that are striving to achieve greener local mobility and are connected to the local area in terms of cultural excellence and the production of local food and art.
This redevelopment and enhancement of the destinations requires cooperation between the public and private sectors, with orientation, training and promotion by institutions and innovation by businesses, so offering tourists the chance to participate in the genuine customs of the local residents (lifestyle, habits, traditions, etc.) in a new product concept that combines the specific reason for travelling with the rarity of the real life experience as a winning resource.