Approximately 16,000 cruise passengers are expected to visit Portimão by the end of the year, according to predictions by the municipal authority.
In a recent press release, the authority stated that the city’s cruise season re-opened last week with two simultaneous stopovers which were transporting nearly 800 people on board, including passengers and staff.
Twenty-four stopovers are expected by the end of the year at the port, which is set to obtain a €10 million investment from the government over the next five years in order to increase its capacity to receive large cruises.
The municipality added that a total of 46 stopovers and 25,000 passengers are expected in 2013, representing a 35% increase in passengers compared to the previous year.
The cruise ship Funchal, which began operating a few weeks ago and has a capacity of 481 passengers, will be among the ships scheduled to pass by Portimão en route.
In 2013, there were seven stopovers predicted for Portimão that had to be cancelled due to the port’s poor conditions, meaning the city lost a possible 10,000 tourists.
At the beginning of August, economy minister Pires de Lima announced a €10 million investment in Portimão’s port and a €4 million investment in Faro.
Both ports are in the process of being integrated into the Sines port administration.
