This year’s cruise season is looking bright for Malmö. Fully 17 arrivals are planned, which represents some 40,000 cruises passengers. Both Åhléns and Formargruppen have consequently decided to open their shops earlier on certain days.
Anna Wittgren has been business area manager for private travel at Malmö Turism since the summer. She is looking forward to the forthcoming cruise season with confidence.
“We are extremely happy that, for example, the German cruise liner AIDAcara is coming to Malmö five times in the coming season”.
A course to increase the number of German-speaking guides has consequently been coordinated by CMP during the year.
The Spanish company Pullmantur decided to use Malmö for turn arounds in the 2012 season, as a result of which trade in the city centre has increased. This year, Åhléns and Formargruppen have consequently decided for the first time to open their shops earlier on those Saturdays when Pullmantur calls in to Malmö.
“Shopping plays an important role for the majority of cruise passengers and a survey two years ago showed that Pullmantur’s passengers spend around SEK 6.6 million in Malmö”.
Besides Germany and Spain, the cruise passengers mainly come from France, the UK and Russia.
“The ships stay for an average of 8-9 hours”, says Anna Wittgren. While some of the passengers shop, others choose to make excursions throughout Malmö, Lund and Copenhagen.
She says that from this year the tourist office is moving out to the cruise quay.
“It will feel a bit more welcoming. We are now working on providing information for the passengers so that they are better able to discover Malmö, Lund and Skåne on their own. We are also producing a special pamphlet about what is typically Swedish to help our visitors.
A lot of them like Swedish design, glass and handicrafts for example.
”Then there are always the classics – painted wooden horses from Dalarna and other souvenirs – they are very popular”, says Anna Wittgren.
CMP leads the way in cruises in the Nordic region with both Copenhagen and Malmö as destinations.
Further information about cruises and a list of all cruise arrivals is available on CMP’s website.