Cruises: Port charges are dwindling season in the country
The Pier Maua recorded last season to 700,000 tourists pass through the city. Photo Pier Mauá
by Mario Teixeira
While confirming that the country is a destination formidable and has strong demand for cruises, companies that had already signaled the fall of supply for the season 2013/2014 at the beginning of the year, guaranteed, in an exclusive interview to Eu Ando pelo Mundo that the industry will wane. The president of the Association of Cruise Matítimos (CLIA Abremar Brazil), Ricardo Amaral, high operating costs and taxes charged in the country are transforming international cruises more interesting, causing companies to seek new alternative destinations. The Special Secretariat of Ports declined to comment on the possibility of seeking a common denominator that does not harm both parties.
Amaral warned that the cost for running cruises in Brazil can be 35% more expensive for operators, which will eventually pass these values to the client. With this, companies are giving priority to long-term routes, six to nine nights, investing in Argentine and Uruguayan markets, which are growing. As the demand for Buenos Aires grew 27% this season. The Costa Group, which includes Costa Cruises and Ibero Cruises, decided to maintain investment in emblematic ports like Rio de Janeiro and Salvador, but according to the director general of the group to South America, Rene Hermann, will expand its presence in area of the River Plate, confirming the growth of demand in these markets.
Employment generation committed
For the president of CLIA Abremar Brazil, the rising price of cruises makes everyone lose. Amaral remember that the generation of jobs and the economy itself cities stand monumentally sequestered. And, in an increasingly competitive market, while Brazil waive this segment, companies are looking for new destinations in Asia, Australia and the Caribbean. The cruise market moved in the season 2010/2011 an increase of R $ 1.4 billion, creating more than 20,000 direct and indirect jobs. The decrease of dockings affects not only the scale cities, but the entire movement of the surrounding cities as well, which end up offering a range of complementary services.
Amaral points operating costs and port charges as
responsible for reducing the cruises. Photo by Ricardo Hara
- In Brazil, on terms favorable climate all year, the hospitality of our people, a combination of historical and natural beauties relevant. We are a destination extremely important to the seasonality of the northern hemisphere winter. The World Maritime Cruises sees us with great potential, but also sees the problems of cost and infrastructure that exist. And, at times, operational and bureaucratic hassles do not exist in other markets - certainly the infrastructure and costs greatly limit our growth. So much so that other destinations are outpacing the country. Australia grew by 33% from 2010 to 2011, which shows the loss of market share in Brazil to other destinations in the southern hemisphere - Amaral said.
For him, it is important to always be discussing solutions to the industry, thinking strategies for recovery of the market and expansion of supply for the population. Amaral believes that these issues are critical to maintaining the growth sector and ensure qualification and the opening of new jobs.
About using of cruise ships as hotels in the major events that take place in Brazil, especially in the World Cup and Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Amaral said he finds it very difficult to happen. Some reasons lead him to believe that, among them the lack of effective contact between the government and companies to a more concrete possibility; different periods of the regular season cruise, and the high season in the northern hemisphere. Shipowning companies design their programs well in advance, a minimum of two years, establishing commitments with customers from various markets in which they operate. So, Amaral admits it will not be easy to move ships to Brazil in full high season of European cruises. The subject requires extensive conversation with the government sector, which has not happened yet.
Costa Group invests in themed cruises
The company holds the South American market as strategic, bringing to the region the more modern ships and investing in themed cruises. For future season, which celebrates 20 years of uninterrupted activity in the country, the Costa Group offers four options for Brazilian tourists: Welfare; Dancing on Board, Fitness, and Tango and Milonga. The four will take place in the ship Costa Fascinosa, which will leave only the port of Santos. To give opportunity to the entire population, they offer a bonus air of R $ 315, improving accessibility to projects.
Hermann diz que empresa comemora 20 anos no
país com cruzeiros temáticos. Photo by Costa Group
- While cruises Wellness and Tango & Milonga visit the destinations Buenos Aires and Punta del Este, roadmaps Fitness and Dancing Aboard go through Buzios, Ilhabela and Salvador. They will have icons like the dancers Carlinhos de Jesus and Jaime Arôxa, the Argentine tango dancer, Aurora Lubiz, the Olympic medalists in volleyball Ana Moser and Ida Alvares and UFC referee and judo teacher, Mario Yamasaki. Over 20 years, Costa held 94 editions of themed cruises on 15 different ships, reaching the milestone of 219 141 passengers - said Hermann.
He hopes that cruise companies and government can sit down to discuss measures of recovery of the market, which would mainly by improving port infrastructure, studies on operating costs and taxation and bureaucratic hassles solution. Hermann thinks is necessary to promote an integrated cruise system, to bring short term results. He believes this may do with Brazil come back to fifth place in the ranking of cruise travelers, manages a better impact economical for their destinations and arrive à 1 million mark of passengers transported.
Pier Maua works to improve tourist flow
The Pier Maua, main port of long haul maritime tourism (international) Latin America, receives 98% of cruises in the region, ensures that he has participated in national and international meetings industry, in search of processes that can increase the flow of cruisers . One of the actions identified to improve services for tourists is the construction of a new terminal, more modern and comfortable, able to receives three million tourists / year. Just last season passed through Pier about 700 thousand tourists. According to the Pier Maua, since the 1st season (1998/1999), the growth of tourist inflow recorded 800%. Work on the new terminal is scheduled to begin in 2014.
This is a discussion that has occupied for some time the headlines of major newspapers, after falling by the wayside. The new pier Y, which will be built by the Docas Company and City of Rio de Janeiro, was applauded at the beginning and then repudiated, by taking the visibility of the Museum of Amanhã, design by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, who is running on the old pier. The claim is that the ships get bigger, eventually taking the visibility of the museum. Docas and Rio de Janeiro municipal government are discussing the transfer of the project, which would be built between the warehouses 02 and 03, for the area between the warehouses 06 and 07. Are being made technical feasibility studies, since this would lead to a special dredging site, and evaluation of the Department of Civil House of the Presidency. City Hall has pledged to pay the extra costs for the transfer, betting that this would be an important element in the process of revitalizing the region.
