Under the framework of the Italy–IORA Dialogue Partnership, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Italy organised the Second Edition of the Sustainable Cruise Tourism Management Programme from 11 to 15 November 2024 in Civitavecchia, Italy, at the Rome Cruise Terminal.
The programme brought together senior officials and practitioners from IORA Member States, including representatives from the port authorities of Mauritius, Tanzania and Kenya, the Ministry of Transport of Thailand, and the Port of Cochin, India. The five-day, in-person programme aimed to strengthen participants’ capacities in sustainable cruise terminal management, with a focus on balancing operational efficiency, environmental sustainability, stakeholder coordination, and performance measurement through agreed key performance indicators (KPIs).
The course combined interactive classroom sessions and field-based learning, delivered by experts from the Port Authority of Civitavecchia, the Italian Coast Guard, Costa Cruises, Roma Cruise Terminal, port security authorities, and the Aquila Centre for Excellence. Key thematic areas included cruise sector dynamics, marine and terminal operations, port planning and management, tariffs and contractual frameworks, safety and security (ISPS), environmental sustainability, public–private port governance, and promotion and marketing of cruise destinations.
Site visits to the Civitavecchia cruise terminals, the Costa Toscana, and the Italian Coast Guard facilities provided participants with practical exposure to operational best practices. The programme concluded with group work and project presentations, enabling participants to apply the knowledge gained to real-world contexts within their respective ports and countries.
The programme contributed to capacity building under IORA’s priority area of Tourism and Cultural Exchanges, and reinforced cooperation between IORA Member States and Italy in promoting sustainable and resilient cruise tourism development in the Indian Ocean region.
