Suncruise has participated in Seatrade Europe, the benchmark trade fair for the international cruise industry, held in Hamburg. The association, which brings together the ports of general interest of Andalusia along with Ceuta and Melilla, took advantage of this strategic forum to officially present to the international community the International Congress on Cruise and Nautical Tourism (CITCA 2025), which will take place from October 15 to 17 in Motril and Granada.
The congress, under the theme “Where the Sea Meets Innovation”, was introduced in Hamburg before cruise lines, tour operators, international associations, and destinations present at Seatrade Europe. The presentation provided a privileged platform to position CITCA among the major international events in the sector.
During the presentation, the main thematic blocks that will structure CITCA 2025 were highlighted, including:
“Sea and Blue Destinations”, focused on sustainability and the blue economy as drivers of competitiveness;
“The Sea and the Blue Transition”, which will address coexistence with future energies and the “Suncruise Blue Ports” project;
“Innovate to Navigate Better”, dedicated to digitalization, artificial intelligence, and startups in the sector;
“Navigation that Transforms”, which will highlight how cruises and nautical tourism impact travelers’ lives and local communities.
The congress will bring together more than 30 experts and industry professionals in a program addressing the main challenges of the sector through panels, presentations, keynotes, and a professional workshop.
The opening day, October 15 in Motril, will focus on the business and networking workshop, where destinations, cruise lines, operators, and suppliers will hold working meetings. On October 16 in Granada, the thematic blocks on sustainability, innovation, and blue tourism will take place, with panels on energy transition, social impact, and digitalization of the sector. On October 17, also in Granada, the spotlight will be on new industry trends, personalized experiences, and the coexistence of generations such as Gen Z and senior cruisers.
The presentation in Hamburg, which included a welcome by Pedro García Navarro, Director of Operations of Puertos del Estado, featured institutional representatives who emphasized the importance of CITCA in positioning Motril, the Costa Tropical, and the entire province of Granada as benchmarks in blue tourism.
For his part, Rafael Caballero Jiménez, President of the Commonwealth of Municipalities of the Costa Tropical of Granada, highlighted the opportunity to showcase the territory: “Hosting CITCA will allow us to display the natural, cultural, and gastronomic richness of the Costa Tropical. Through the planned fam trip across our municipalities, participants will be able to experience firsthand what makes our region unique.”
Manuel Muñoz Gutiérrez, General Director of the Granada Provincial Tourism Board, stressed the relevance of the event for the entire province: “CITCA 2025 is an extraordinary platform for projecting Granada in international markets. This congress allows us to reinforce the image of the province as a diverse, sustainable, and innovative destination, capable of integrating cultural, heritage, and nature tourism with nautical and cruise tourism.”
Gerardo Landaluce, President of Suncruise, insisted on Andalusia’s role as a European benchmark in blue tourism: “This congress symbolizes the commitment of our ports to innovation and sustainability. We want to consolidate Andalusia, Ceuta, and Melilla as leading destinations in nautical and cruise tourism, showing the world the potential of our sea as an economic and social driver.”
Finally, José García Fuentes, President of the Port Authority of Motril, recalled the strategic value of hosting the event: “For Motril, CITCA is much more than a congress: it is the opportunity to show the world our port, our city, and the Granada region as reference destinations in nautical and cruise tourism.”
CITCA Suncruise 2025 is sponsored by the Government of Andalusia, the Motril City Council, the Granada Provincial Council, the Commonwealth of Municipalities of the Costa Tropical, and the Port Authority of Motril itself, with the support of Puertos del Estado and the main institutions and associations linked to the sector.
With its participation at Seatrade Europe, Suncruise reinforced the role of Motril and Granada as hosts of an event that aims to bring together more than 400 professionals and experts from around the world, placing Andalusia at the center of international conversations on innovation and sustainability in the maritime industry.
