Some of the most important voices in the cruise industry will gather on September 27th in Madeira for an international conference: the CAI Conference 2024.
The event, promoted by the Administration of the Ports of Madeira (APRAM, SA), has as its starting point the 30th anniversary of the first meeting of Cruise Atlantic Islands (CAI), at the same time as it aims to focus on the future of this region of Atlântico, in the increasingly competitive global cruise market.
“This conference constitutes an opportunity to reflect on the cruise tourism industry in this Atlantic region and the world, looking for the best answers to the increasingly competitive challenges that CAI faces”, highlighted the president of the Ports of Madeira board of directors, Paula Cabaço, pointing out the focus on sustainability, the decarbonization of ports, the energy transition, the circular economy and technological innovation, as “unavoidable” topics to be addressed. “Always, in a joint strategy.”
CAI began by bringing together the ports of Madeira and the Canary Islands, including Cape Verde from 2006 and, since last year, the Azores. Currently, it represents a market of 3.3 million cruise tourists, representing itself in the global and increasingly competitive cruise industry as a differentiated itinerary product, based on the unique and complementary identities of the Atlantic islands of Macaronesia. As a brand, CAI has participated in the main industry events – Seatrade, MedCruise, International Cuise Summit and Cruise Week Europe.
“We want to celebrate this partnership, which was born from a meeting held on September 19, 1994 in Funchal between the port authorities of Madeira and the Canary Islands, and shipping agents from the two archipelagos”, says Paula Cabaço, considering that this conference is the right moment to talk about the future.
The CAI Conference 2024 will bring together members of CAI Madeira, Canary Islands, Cape Verde and Azores, guests, operators, companies, sector agents, government officials, tourist entertainment companies, national and international journalists. CLIA Europe Vice President Nikos Mertzanidis will co-host the conference.
“It will also be an opportunity to showcase the best of Madeira, and the work that has been developed in the Port of Funchal, which has deserved international recognition, like the two nominations for the World Cruise Awards: Best Cruise Terminal in World in terms of Sustainability; and Best Cruise Destination in Europe.”
It is worth remembering that Madeira won the award for Best Cruise Destination in Europe at the World Cruise Awards in 2022 and 2023.
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