Cruise ship tourism in Madeira saw record passengers in 2024
Cruise tourism in Madeira reached a historic milestone in 2024, with more than 700,000 passengers passing through the region’s ports.
In all, 728,604 passengers and 271,974 crew members were accounted for, representing an increase of 16.68% in passenger movement and 12.3% in the number of crew members, according to the Administration of Ports of the Autonomous Region of Madeira (APRAM, SA).
In total, more than one million people, including passengers and crew, passed through the cruise terminal of the Port of Funchal.
“It was a remarkable year. For the first time, we reached the historic mark of 700,000 cruise passengers, which had a multiplier effect on the Madeiran economic fabric, impacting commerce, restaurants, tourist entertainment companies and many other services”, said Paula Cabaço, chairman of the board of directors of APRAM, also highlighting the increase in the number of overnight stays on ships in the Port of Funchal.
Of the 316 ship calls received in 2024, an increase of 13.26% compared to the previous year, 88 were overnight stays. “With more time in port, cruise tourists have more opportunities to explore the city, resulting in a positive impact on the local economy, especially in the areas of catering, commerce, and cultural and leisure activities,” added Paula Cabaço.
2024 also stood out for its debuts, with 23 ships making an inaugural call in Funchal, of which six started sailing this year. “Of the seven new vessels launched last year by the main cruise companies, six called at the Port of Funchal,” said Paula Cabaço, noting that this growth resulted in a direct impact of €61.4 million euros on the regional economy, an increase of 20.3% compared to 2023.