Gibraltar received its tenth inaugural cruise call of the year today when the Maltese-flagged vessel, ‘Aegean Odyssey,’ arrived in port this afternoon.

Operated by the one-ship company Voyages to Antiquity since 2009, the ‘Aegean Odyssey’ carries 380 passengers, has a length of 140 metres and a gross tonnage of 11,906.

Minister for Tourism, Samantha Sacramento, reiterated her delight at the high rate of activity and inaugural calls in the port in recent months, which reflects the hard work by the Ministry for Tourism to ensure Gibraltar’s position as a leading cruise destination in the Western Mediterranean.

Minister Sacramento attended a welcome reception on board the vessel, accompanied by representatives from the Gibraltar Tourist Board and the Deputy Captain of the Port, Manuel Tirado, on behalf of the Gibraltar Port Authority.

The customary exchange of commemorative plaques with the ship’s captain took place, in the presence of the ship agent, Incargo Shipping Services Gibraltar.

Minister Sacramento said: “We are extremely pleased at the positive results obtained following our policy to invest significantly in local tourist sites and visitor attractions in order to upgrade all areas of Gibraltar’s tourist product. This has become our calling card in the international market and, judging by the response from the global cruise industry, we have been very successful indeed.

“The Government considers greater economic development and the sustained prosperity of the Rock as key political priorities which we have steadfastly pursued in our first term in office with clear results.

“To this end we remain on the right track to deliver on our commitment to tourism and will endeavour to ensure that tourism, shipping and the leisure industries have the necessary political support to continue to play a vitally important role in our expanding economic base. It is an aim which we are delighted to share with our partners and other stakeholders in the private sector.” 

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