TRAPANI (ITALPRESS) – The port of Trapani is changing. And it is growing. This is confirmed by the numbers that the president of the Western Sicily Sea Port Authority, Pasqualino Monti, told reporters during today’s press conference: the future of cruises in Trapani is on the rise and crosses the very development of the city. During the meeting-which was also attended by Mayor Giacomo Tranchida, Trapani Port Authority Commander Guglielmo Cassone, Trapani Tourism and Culture Councillor and President of the Western Sicily Tourism District Rosalia D’Alì, Gibellina Mayor Salvatore Sutera, West Sicily Gate General Manager Antonio Di Monte, and lawyer Nicola Adragna of the Management Committee of the Western Sicily Sea AdSP-a vision of sustainable growth and innovation was outlined. In 2025, about twenty-five thousand passengers (+113% compared to 2024) and fifty-eight landings are expected in Trapani, an increase of 45% compared to the forty this year, confirming Sicily as a preferred destination in the international tourism scene. Many of the ships are in the luxury segment, bringing quality tourism, attracted by the beauty and unique experiences offered by the area. This year, five new companies have chosen Trapani as their destination: Plein Cup with MS Hamburg, Crystal Cruises with Crystal Serenity, Antarctica Cruises with Sylvia Earle, Phoenix Reisen with Deutschland and Regent Seven Seas Cruises with Seven Seas Mariner. The city thus consolidates its role as a hub for passenger traffic to the islands and as a top cruise destination and, with an upgraded port and a community prepared to welcome them, it is projecting itself into a new phase of development, enhancing its heritage and paying homage to its seafaring tradition. In particular, the completion, in a few months, of the dredging project, by the Port System Authority, expands the type of ships that will be able to choose it as a port of arrival and stopover: the intervention represents the idea of rebirth, a wide-open door to international tourism, capable of offering visitors from all over the world authentic and memorable experiences. “The dredging work, supported by NRP funds, is significant not only economically, but also symbolically,” comments President Monti. “Dredging, by bringing the depth of the seabed to -11, allows the entry of larger cruise ships, increasing the volume of cruise traffic and thus benefiting tourism and the local economy. But it is also a sign of the city’s desire to focus on sustainable and quality tourism, capable of attracting high-end visitors interested in the historical, natural and gastronomic riches of the area. Not only, then, a technical intervention to improve safety conditions during access and mooring, but a real investment in Trapani’s economic future. With the increase in port capacity, we expect positive spin-offs on the city’s entire tourism industry. The increase in cruise traffic will, in fact, bring new job opportunities, fueling the economic recovery of the area and offering an opportunity to revitalize the entire community, which makes beauty and hospitality its main resources.””The trend of cruise traffic in Trapani,” Di Monte explains, “is set to register a significant increase in 2025 compared to previous years, thanks in part to the tireless work to promote the destination carried out constantly by the West Sicily Gate, in close collaboration with the Port System Authority of the Sea of Western Sicily, the Municipality of Trapani, the West Sicily Tourism District and local operators in the sector. About 25,000 passengers (+113% compared to 2024) are expected to arrive from all over the world, on board fifty-eight ships (compared to forty in 2024, +45%) belonging to seventeen different companies, five of which will disembark in Trapani for the first time. In this context, the contribution of MSC Cruises stands out, which will bring more than six thousand passengers (24% of the total) to Trapani in 2025 aboard the prestigious and luxurious Explora II, over the course of six berths (accounting for 10% of the total). Recently, representatives of some cruise lines had the opportunity to visit the port, touch on some of the most interesting examples of experiential tourism and learn about the main tourist-cultural and environmental attractions of the area. The initiative is part of a plan to consolidate the current positive trend and ensure, for future years, a further increase in the number of passengers and incoming cruise ships.” Concludes Monti: “Our intention is to integrate the port to the city, enriching the port areas contiguous to the city center with urban functions. The next step, in fact, will be the start of the waterfront works to really change the face of the city.” – photo press office AdSP of the West Sicilian Sea -(ITALPRESS).
