The IV International Congress on Nautical Tourism and Cruises, CITCA Suncruise 2025, concluded today at the Barceló Granada Congress Hotel after three days of analysis, debate, and institutional and business collaboration, with the participation of more than 300 professionals linked to blue tourism. This year's edition revolved around the theme “Where the sea merges with innovation,” featuring a program that combined conferences, round tables, and sectoral meetings.
The closing day began with an artistic intervention led by Marina Heredia under the title “Intimate and Elegant Flamenco: Lorca and Passion,” which addressed the role of art as a vehicle for connection between territorial identity and international projection.
The space “Conversations Sea and Blue Destinations” brought together experts from the port and tourism sectors in three consecutive sessions focused on the challenges and opportunities that the Andalusian coast offers. Beatriz Orejudo, CEO of Lantimar Group, moderated the first conversation with representatives from the ports of Ceuta and Melilla. The second was led by Irina Solomatina from BC Group Spain, addressing the role of chambers of commerce and territorial development agencies. In the third, Matteo Busilacchio from Intercruises talked with the president of the Mancomunidad del Campo de Gibraltar, who highlighted the importance of cooperation between ports and communities to ensure sustainable benefits.
Ignacio Álvarez-Ossorio Ramos's intervention, General Director of the Public Agency of Ports of Andalusia, focused on the challenges of the Andalusian nautical system. During his keynote, he emphasized the need to move towards more sustainable, digitized, and efficient ports, integrated into their environment and prepared to balance growth with environmental responsibility.
In the sustainability panel, moderated by Marilena Estarellas Galera, manager of the National Association of Electric Boats, the role of electrification and clean energies was discussed. Antonio Valbuena Morente, director of Alcaidesa Marina, highlighted the need to apply technical solutions that ensure energy efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of port facilities and vessels.
The panel “The Sea and the Blue Transition” featured participation from Fernando Pacheco (MSC Cruises), Carlos Giner Monleón (Moeve), and Pedro Barrionuevo (Turismo Costa del Sol), who debated the potential of maritime tourism as a generator of skilled employment, technological innovation, and economic diversification in coastal destinations.
Mariana Perrilliat, corporate vice president of ITM Group, presented a model of participatory governance in her conference on innovation and port sustainability. In her speech, she advocated for the importance of transparency and collaboration with local communities to move towards socially responsible ports.
In the block “Cruises that Transform,” the focus was on trend changes in the onboard experience. Fernando Pacheco from Explora Journeys discussed conscious luxury hospitality, while Ricky Trautwein from Windstar presented the value of small-format cruises as a close alternative.
Specialist Giorgio Costa introduced a reflection on the personalization of service as a differentiating factor. Subsequently, a conversation about new generations and senior cruisers, featuring Fabián Gil (Decruceros.es), analyzed the challenges of adapting the tourist offer to audiences with different motivations, pointing out the need for sustainable, digital, and personalized experiences.
The official closing was attended by Juan Ramón Ferreira Siles, Deputy Mayor of Tourism of Granada, who highlighted the cultural and gastronomic richness of the city as a complement to maritime tourism. David Rodríguez, territorial delegate of the Department of Tourism, Culture, and Sports of Granada, closed the event defending the role of Andalusia as a laboratory for tourist innovation at the European level.
The edition concluded with a networking cocktail in the Aixa Garden, where speakers, authorities, and attendees shared conclusions about an edition that has consolidated CITCA Suncruise as one of the main European forums dedicated to the development of nautical tourism and cruises.