According to the study “Assessment of the Economic Impact of the Cruise Industry in Lisbon 2023”, carried out by Nova SBE, this activity represented 0.3% of national GDP in 2023, generating a direct impact of 794 million euros, an increase of 136%, that is, 458 million euros more compared to 336 million in 2019.
The study, reported by Publituris, also reveals that the cruise sector in Lisbon represented 2.16% of the National Tourism GDP, generating 1,934 million euros in production (total impacts – indirect, direct and induced), which compares with the 840 million euros of 2019.
Indicating that the impact of the economic activity of cruises is felt in various sectors of the Portuguese economy, the study shows that accommodation benefited from 142 million euros, travel agencies from 112.8 million euros, retail sales from 108.8 million euros, restoration costs 81.3 million euros, and, finally, transport costs 79.6 million euros.
Each cruise ship that calls at the Port of Lisbon contributes, on average, 2.29 million euros to GDP, creating 59 jobs and generating 910 thousand euros in tax revenue.
With regard to the expenses incurred by cruise passengers in Lisbon, the study states that, on average, they were 159 euros, “an increase compared to the values calculated in 2022 and 2019”, without specifying the amount.
The industry was also responsible for €317 million in taxes and the creation of more than 20 thousand jobs, values that compared to 2019, that is, €133 million in taxes and 8,863 jobs.
Carlos Correia, president of the Board of Directors of APL, highlighted during the “Meeting for the Sustainability of Cruise Activity in Lisbon”, within the scope of the 137th anniversary of the Port of Lisbon, that this infrastructure “plays a fundamental role in the economic development of the city and country, and cruise tourism is an important part of this contribution.”
Carlos Correia highlighted, however, that “we are aware of the urgent need to reconcile this growth with environmental preservation. Therefore, we are committed to leading a transition to more sustainable practices, working closely with strategic partners to reduce the environmental impact of our activity.”
The event also formalised the creation of the Cruise Activity Sustainability Committee in Lisbon, a collaborative initiative that stands out for its joint commitment to promoting sustainable solutions for the cruise tourism sector, in Lisbon and Portugal.
The Committee involves several strategic partners linked to the sector, such as APL, Lisbon City Council, AGEPOR, ANA Aeroportos, CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association), LCP (Lisbon Cruises Port) and Turismo de Lisboa, who signed the Memorandum. These were joined by new partners, equally involved and interested in the theme of cruise sustainability, such as Turismo de Portugal, TAP, and Associação Zero, who will sign the Memorandum soon.
In addition to the economic benefits, the Port of Lisbon also highlighted its commitment to sustainability, and innovative projects were presented to reduce polluting emissions from ships, reinforcing the objective of a transition to more responsible and environmentally friendly practices. The goal is to ensure that Lisbon continues to be a destination of excellence in the cruise tourism sector, balancing environmental protection with sustainable economic growth.
In this sense, the study “Air Quality Monitoring around the Lisbon Cruise Terminal” was presented, which evaluated emissions from ships, in places where cruise ships influence, over the course of a year. The results indicate that, despite some occasional exceedances of the WHO guide values for fine particles and nitrogen dioxide, pollution levels in Lisbon remained within European and national legal limits.