During this summer season 2018, 17 river cruise vessels and almost 4,000 tourists were welcomed by Odessa Sea Port including guests from the US and Europe.
Despite the absence of ocean cruise ships visiting the Black Sea port of Odessa this year, the city continues to attract international tourists on river cruise ships.
The itineraries included visiting Kiev and other Ukrainian cities (Dnipro river cruisse) as well as visiting Romania’s Feteshti (on Danube cruises).
In October 17, Odessa Sea Port will host the Black Sea Working Group with representatives from ports across the region as well as MedCruise directors and the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation participating.
On the agenda is the question of the cruise of ocean ship deployment in the Black Sea, the current barriers and creating an action plan for developing the future of the cruise shipping of the Black Sea Region.
During meetings held at Seatrade cruise Med 2018 in Lisbon last month, Odessa Sea Port Administration says it was informed by several cruise lines they are planning a return to the Black Sea in 2020.
Odessa recorded 3m tourist visit to the city in the first eight months of this year a number that has been growing around half a million year on year which is a sign of growing interest in tourist traffic noted Marila Luzhanska, specialist in the strategic planning and development dept of Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority.
