Continuing its active work on attracting more cruise ships and, respectively, more cruise passengers to Riga, the Freeport of Riga Authority has become a member of CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association), the world’s largest cruise industry association. FRA says membership in this organisation will open a path for closer cooperation between the Freeport of Riga Authority and the world’s largest cruise line operators, thus facilitating the development of the cruise sector in the Port of Riga.
Founded in 1975, CLIA is the world’s largest cruise industry organisation, which unites all the players in the sector, i.e., cruise line operators, cruise ports, tourism companies, service providers and even shipbuilding companies and suppliers of technical equipment.
“CLIA represents all aspects of the global cruise industry, and membership ensures an opportunity to meet and successfully establish business contacts, which will sooner or later transform into interest showed by cruise line operators in the Port of Riga and the inclusion of Riga in new routes”, Edgars Sūna, Deputy CEO of the Freeport of Riga for development matters, concludes. Moreover, within the framework of CLIA it is possible to meet and address the decision-makers of cruise line operators, which is particularly important for the Port of Riga.
Until now, the work of the Freeport of Riga Authority in the cruise sector has been rather successful. This is suggested by the growing number of ships of new cruise line operators coming to the Port of Riga. Today, the Port of Riga welcomed the cruise ship Queen Elisabeth. The operator, British company Cunard Line, entered Riga for the first time. The Queen Elisabeth is one of the largest cruise ships to visit the Port of Riga this year, bringing approximately 2,000 tourists to the city. The ship was built in 2010 in Italy and is a Panamax-type cruise ship (Vista Class).