The cruise market in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea: some strategic developments in the Upper Adriatic Sea

Cruise market has been showing a dramatic increase over recent years. In particular, the Mediterranean currently represents the main market for global players. On-going strategies are focusing on diversification of services with reference to areas and destinations with relevant potential market. Among these, the Upper Adriatic and the Black Sea are indicated as potential best practices to develop innovative services (supply models) capable of connecting both major (marquee) and new port destinations of the area. On the basis of a market analysis and a number of interviews to key players, the paper presents some foreseeable developments in the Upper Adriatic (win-win strategies). Underlining supply strategies could then be usefully transferred to other relevant contexts, such as that of the Black Sea.