Jana Tolja from the City municipality of Koper explained that during last ten years more than 400,000 ship tourists visited Koper.
The first passenger ship to sail into the harbour this season was Berlin, owned by the German shipowners, arriving from Venice with 400 passengers aboard. It will be a short stop, but still enough for the passengers to go sightseeing through Koper and the surroundings, Tolja said.
Almost half a million in a decade
This year the arrival of 50 more ships is expected, the last on November 5. They will bring to Koper approximately 60,000 passengers, and 30,000 to 35,000 crewmen. Tolja reminded us that in the period from 2005 until last year 465 ships landed in Koper, with 410,000 passengers, not to mention the members of the ship crews.
A study made last year by an independent institute from Venice on the significance of such tourists, and according to which in last few years the money spent by tourists increased to 77 euros per person. Members of the ship crews should be mentioned as well, who in average spend 23 euros. Shipping tourism thus brings to Slovenia approximately 7 million euros – and not only to the Municipality of Koper or the region, as the effect can be felt all the way to Ljubljana and Bled, which are visited by some of the ship tourists.
According to Tolja this year as well Koper will make sure that musical events and a large assortment of services with providers from all parts of Slovenia. "We try to make the city lively and interesting when ship passengers arrive," she explained.
An international invitation to tender for a passenger terminal
Their wish is no secret – they would like Koper to become a starting port for cruises. They have already contacted two of the largest shipowners, Royal Carribean and Carnival Corporation. In order to check the feasibility of a passenger terminal they opened an international invitation to tender. At first it was agreed that the investment should be made this year, but due to financial situation the plan has been delayed.
Yet Tolja is convinced: "In the years to come a passenger terminal will be most certainly built." This would mean a lot for Slovenia as a whole, as we could hope for additional income from logistics, supply of food and beverages for smaller ships (as the large corporations already have their own suppliers) to disposal of garbage, supply of water etc.
A. K.; translated by G. K.
