Cruise boom in Seville brings wave of high-end tourism
Luxury travellers over 50 are driving a major revival in river cruise tourism along the Guadalquivir
Cruise tourism in Seville is making a strong comeback, with both ship visits and passenger numbers steadily climbing back towards pre-pandemic levels. And while tourists are arriving by land and air, it is the river route that is attracting a very specific type of visitor: older, affluent, and looking for something a little more exclusive.According to the Port Authority of Seville, around 90 cruise ships are expected to dock in the city in 2025. That figure is just short of the 95 that arrived in 2019, which was a record year before the pandemic brought the industry to a standstill. This year, cruise calls are expected to reach 75. That is an increase of around 20 compared to last season, and well above the 48 recorded back in 2010.
Passenger numbers are rising too. In 2023, Seville welcomed 21,200 cruise tourists. This was a slight increase on the 21,040 who visited the year before, and the first time numbers have passed 20,000 since COVID. The figures are edging closer to the all-time high of 24,000 in 2017, when 80 ships stopped in the city.
“These are high-income travellers, mostly over 50, and very demanding,” said Rafael Carmona, president of the Port of Seville. “They are looking for top-quality service and unique experiences, and they want to enjoy the cultural, gastronomic and leisure offer of the city.” Some cruises, he noted, can cost as much as 2,000 euros per person per day, with Michelin-starred chefs on board.
These visitors come from as far away as Northern Europe, Germany, Australia and the United States. The local economy is certainly feeling the benefit, with hotels, restaurants, transport companies, cultural sites, shops and even horse-drawn carriage drivers all seeing a boost. “This is not about mass tourism,” Carmona added. “It is about sustainable, high-quality travel with a strong economic impact and fewer crowds.”
Seville’s position, with 89 navigable kilometres of the Guadalquivir stretching from the Atlantic, adds to the experience. Ships sail through protected areas such as Doñana and dock right in the heart of the city. The busiest times of year are spring and autumn, especially during Holy Week and the Feria, when several ships and megayachts arrive at once. “The port becomes a spectacle in itself,” said Carmona.
Looking ahead, the goal is to attract more ships that start and end their journeys in Seville, encouraging visitors to spend more time and money in the city. “When that happens, people stay longer and spend more,” Carmona explained. Almost all the cruise ships scheduled this year are expected to stay overnight, with more than half staying for two nights.
Plans are also in place for a new cruise terminal, due to be completed by 2029, in the area around Avenida de la Raza. And to help tourists make the most of their visit, a new mobile app called Experiencia Guadalquivir is on the way. It will offer guides, videos and 3D content covering local culture, history and nature.
At the moment, Seville ranks third in Andalucía for cruise ship visits and fourth for passenger numbers, behind Cádiz and Málaga. But with its charm, accessibility and growing focus on quality over quantity, the city’s cruise sector is clearly heading in the right direction.
Image: Hpgruesen/Pixabay
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