25/06/2025

On Friday, June 20, at Darsena Le Saline in Chioggia, a new stop of Italian Cruise Day in Tour took place. This is the new initiative by Risposte Turismo, dedicated to both well-established cruise ports in Italy and smaller or emerging ones, aiming to spotlight the relationship between cruise ports and their surrounding territories.

The morning opened with welcome remarks from Mauro Armelao, Mayor of Chioggia; Commander Alessio Palmisano, Chief of the Chioggia Harbour Master’s Office; Fulvio Lino Di Blasio, President of the North Adriatic Sea Port Authority; and, via video link, Theodora Riga, President of MedCruise.
As per the event format, the program continued with a presentation by Francesco di Cesare, President of Risposte Turismo, who provided an update on cruise traffic trends in the Mediterranean, in Italy, and locally, with insights on the small cruising segment.

Two panel discussions followed, moderated by Anthony La Salandra, Director of Risposte Turismo.
The first panel, titled “Projects and Actions for an Increasingly Competitive Port Offering”, focused on the necessary interventions and initiatives to enhance port competitiveness. The second, titled “Small Cruising, River Cruises, and Superyachts: Key Segments for Investment”, explored the potential of the small cruising market as an investment opportunity.
The morning concluded with a closing address by Elisa De Berti, Vice President of the Veneto Region.

Statements

Fulvio Lino Di Blasio, President of the North Adriatic Sea Port Authority and Venice Cruise Commissioner, stated: “Bringing the maritime and river cruise sector together here in Chioggia is a significant achievement, considering that the cruise industry was virtually non-existent in the Clodiense area just a few years ago. Thanks to ongoing efforts carried out in collaboration with the local administration, the Harbour Master’s Office, and all relevant stakeholders, we have succeeded in turning this city into a recognizable cruise destination, complementary to Venice and specializing in the luxury segment. It’s a significant result, but not enough: Chioggia’s positioning must be safeguarded in the years to come by continuously developing and improving the tourism offering, adding services and enhancing quality. In this way, and through everyone’s efforts, Chioggia must develop a sustainable tourism model to strengthen the foundations of its future growth—especially in light of the reorganization of cruise flows in the lagoon, following the commissioner-led works already underway in Venice.”

Francesco di Cesare, President of Risposte Turismo, commented: “In the geography of maritime tourism across the Adriatic and the broader Mediterranean, a port like Chioggia can have its own role by organizing effectively—as it is already doing—to attract specific types of tourist demand. This benefits not only the businesses directly involved in port-related activities but the entire surrounding area. Infrastructure and diversification—central themes of the roundtables—must support growth, which can and must be pursued with a clear understanding of this vast sector’s dynamics and the key objectives to achieve.”

The event, designed as a dialogue between institutions, industry professionals, and stakeholders to explore the development potential of cruise and small cruising tourism in Chioggia—addressing infrastructure needs, growth prospects, and territorial enhancement—is part of the “Italian Cruise Day in Tour” series, an initiative by Risposte Turismo, and is included in the framework of the ADRIJOROUTES European project.

Among the participants were: Mauro Armelao, Mayor of Chioggia; Commander Alessio Palmisano, Chief of the Chioggia Harbour Master’s Office; Fulvio Lino Di Blasio, President of the North Adriatic Sea Port Authority; Theodora Riga, President of MedCruise.

The event concluded with final remarks from Elisa De Berti, Vice President of the Veneto Region.