| N.º 21/22 | 2014 93 The economic significance of cruise tourism: An overview in the Mediterranean market GEORGIA PAPADOPOULOU * [ geopap@webmail.unipi.gr ] EVANGELOS SAMBRACOS ** [ sambra@unipi.gr ] Keywords | Cruise industry, Mediterranean market, Economic significance. Objectives | The cruise industry is a market with significant investments worldwide and is characterized as the most exciting market of the maritime leisure sector. Cruise tourism combines elements of the tourism chain, such as transportation, tourism recreation and travel. The Mediterranean is the seventh largest body of water in the world, covering approximately 970,000 square miles. The Mediterranean cruise market can be divided into four regions, the Eastern Mediterranean, the Western Mediterranean, the Adriatic and the Southern Mediterranean. The Mediterranean Sea represents over 23% of the annual cruise capacity (Rodrigue and Notteboom, 2013). The objectives of this research are to analyse the Mediterranean cruise market based on the different itineraries and cruises, and to assess the economic contribution of cruise passengers to the Greek ports of call. Methodology | Many studies and academic papers focus on the world cruise industry and its economic significance. Previous research has been made in the field of the cruise sector dealing with many aspects of cruising, namely the numerous cruise destinations and the competitiveness of the cruise market. There are scientific papers dealing with the economic impacts (Haralambides, 1996; Douglas-Westwood, 2005) and others examining the cruise industry, focusing on the structure of the sector and the European policies (Wild and Dearing, 2000; Lekakou, Xideas & Stefanidaki, 2005). Andriotis and Agiomirgianakis (2010) provided a better understanding on the cruise travel experience by studying cruise ship passengers’ motivation and satisfaction. This research consists of two parts. The first one includes an analysis of the cruise industry, not only in a global basis but also in a smaller market, namely the Mediterranean cruise market. It is based on a literature review on the cruise industry. The second part includes results derived from primary research conducted in cruise passengers who started their journey at the Port of Piraeus in Greece, one of the most important ports in the Mediterranean Sea. In this research an effort was made to assess the amount of direct revenues that flow back to the Greek ports of call. The major tool for the data collection was questionnaires to cruise passengers. 507 passengers from all over the world participated in this research conducted in cruise ships, which departed from the Port of Piraeus in a 3 to 8 day trip. * PhD Candidate in the Economics of the Cruise Tourism Sector at the University of Piraeus (Greece). ** PhD in Transport Economics from the University of Lyon II and École Nationale des Travaux Publics de l’ État (ENTPE). Professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Piraeus (Greece).