Why cruise remains an unwelcome guest in certain destinations

The proposals come two years after Venice implemented a ban on large cruise ships entering the city – again, in the hope of limiting visitor numbers. The city’s is also now poised to vote on whether to embark on a trial of a new €5 a day tourist visitor fee.

Flavio Zappacosta, head of UK and Ireland for the Italian National Tourist Board, said the decision to steer larger ships away from the city centre had so far yielded positive results, although Unesco has nonetheless warned the still still remains at risk of "irreversible" damage from overtourism.

“Cruise ships play a key role in showcasing lesser-known Italian destinations that might have remained undiscovered by tourists,” he said. “The port move, about an hour north of Venice, has not only pleased locals by reducing pollution and congestion, but it has also sparked a favourable environmental impact.”

Zappacosta, though, said that while cruise ships bring an influx of tourists, he accepted these visitors often spend less on accommodation and dining. “It’s a delicate balance,” he admitted.

So with three of Europe’s biggest destinations citing cruise as a catalyst for overtourism, should the industry – and agents – be concerned? “Yes,” believes owner and director of LAH Travel Linda Hill Miller. “It’s a challenge for guests to get to the new, far-out ports – and it must be a logistical nightmare for cruise operators.”

She urged lines to respond more quickly to the changes owing to the knock-on effect port alterations have on customers’ transfers to and from destinations pre- and post-cruise.

Alison Earnshaw, managing director of Six Star Cruises and Cruise118 parent World Travel Holdings (WTH), said the company received an influx of customer queries off the back of the reports about Amsterdam’s plans.

“As was the case with Venice, announcements with no specific information about proposed new ports outside the city and/or timelines cause angst and uncertainty for cruise customers, cruise lines and cruise retailers,” she explained.

Agents ’crucial’ to cruise meeting its goals

However, Clia UK managing director Andy Harmer told TTG the cruise industry had a “proven track record” of working closely with the destinations it visits. “We’re a really small part of overall tourism – globally this year, we’ll expect around 30 million people to take a cruise,” he reasoned.

Harmer said he had confidence in the cruise industry’s ability to continue proving its worth to the destinations it visits, such as by sourcing local goods and through the continuous evolution of its environmental policies.

He stressed Clia will continue to support its members by championing the industry’s sustainability efforts, as well as helping agent members – whom Harmer believes will be “crucial” to the industry achieving its goals – get the message across to clients.

“Agents are already having these conversations about destinations with customers, and they have access to all of the key messages so they can relay that positive information,” he added.