Tourism managers' view of the economic impact of cruise traffic: the case of southern Spain

Abstract

This article focuses on analysing the perception that the tourism sector itself has of its impact in cities at which cruises call. We use a sample of 371 managers of tourism establishments in the hinterlands of two Spanish cruise ports. The conclusions confirm the good public image that cruise traffic has traditionally enjoyed. However, the vision that the managers have is not uniform but depends on the characteristics of the tourist establishment and its own experience. Managers also advocate the direct intervention of the public administrations, even with economic aid, to favour the implementation of cruise tourism in their cities.

Keywords:

• cruise tourism
• low-cost carriers
• tourism managers
• economic impact

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Professor C. Michael Hall for their very helpful comments. The authors would also like to express their gratitude to the Ente Público Puertos del Estado for its financial support.