Strategic Positioning Analysis of Spanish Cruise Ports

Abstract

Cruise traffic has dynamically advanced worldwide over the last two decades. This maritime business and tourism typology is strongly concentrated in several links that comprise the cruise product. With regard to destination regions, the concentration occurs both in the few worldwide destination regions and in the specific ports within a given destination region. Moreover, in a cruise itinerary’s configuration, there is a strong spatial dependence between the ports that comprise it. During 2000-2014, growth in cruise traffic in the Spanish Port System exceeded the worldwide growth rate. This paper analyses the changes in cruise traffic in the Spanish Port System during the 2000-2014 period and conducts a strategic positioning analysis of Spanish cruise ports. The strategic positioning analysis is developed by applying portfolio analysis based on the “growth-share matrix” adapted to the port industry. Moreover, the analysis is developed based on geographical positions of ports on the Spanish coast. The results of this analysis yield the competitive cruise port locations.