Fundación Valenciaport promotes new sustainable tourism experiences for cruise passengers in the province of Valencia

More than 40 representatives from tourist destinations and companies participated in a training day as part of the European PortCrew project
The event was supported by the Provincial Council of Valencia and MSC Cruises, which facilitated a technical visit aboard the MSC Orchestra ship.

Valencia, March 2, 2026. The Valenciaport Foundation, with the support of the Valencia Provincial Council, held a training day on February 28 specializing in tourism product development for cruise passengers, aimed at destinations in the province and tourism service companies interested in working with this strategic segment.

The initiative is part of the European PortCrew project, which aims to continue promoting the sustainability strategy for the cruise sector promoted by Valenciaport.

In the case of Valencia, the project proposes the development of new eco-sustainable routes, designed specifically for emerging groups or those with particular needs, such as people with disabilities, families with young children, millennials, or Generation Z. These new proposals seek to diversify the province’s tourism offering, encourage the decentralization of visitors, and alleviate pressure on the most frequented areas, thus contributing to the social and economic sustainability of cruise tourism.

Technical training and public-private collaboration

This regional workshop, focused on the technical training of local agents, had the following main objectives:

Design and adapt tourism products and experiences suitable for the cruise market.
To learn about the operational, logistical, and commercial requirements of cruise tourism.
promote the territorial diversification of excursions, highlighting the value of inland and coastal resources beyond the city of Valencia.
foster public-private collaboration between destinations, companies, and entities that are part of the cruise value chain.

The conference, held at the Fundación Valenciaport facilities, brought together around 40 representatives from tourist destinations and companies in the province.

The Provincial Council of Valencia was represented by its vice president, María del Remedio Mazzolari, and the Deputy for Tourism, Pedro Antonio Cuesta, thus demonstrating institutional support for this strategic initiative for the region.

Collaboration with the international cruise sector

The meeting also benefited from the collaboration of MSC Cruises, which facilitated a technical visit aboard the MSC Orchestra, allowing participants to see first-hand how a cruise ship stopover operates.

Speakers included Cristina Mesquida, Shore Excursions and Product Development Manager at MSC Cruises, and José Sennacheribbo, Shoreside Operations Manager at Noatum Maritime, both of whom have extensive experience in the field of tour operation and destination excursion management.

Technical support and future marketing

Following the conference, anyone interested in developing new tourist experiences tailored to the cruise market will be able to seek advice from the PortCrew technical team. To this end, bilateral working sessions will be organized to design and adapt products that meet the project’s requirements.

Proposals that meet the established criteria will have the opportunity to be presented at a fam trip organized within the framework of PortCrew, as a preliminary step to their international marketing.

With this initiative, the Fundación Valenciaport reaffirms its commitment to a more sustainable and diversified cruise tourism model that generates value for the entire province.