Clia and Fred Olsen Cruise Lines have co-hosted a delegation of Scottish politicians to highlight the benefits the sector brings to Scotland.
A group of MSPs received a tour of Fred Olsen’s Balmoral in Rosyth and discussed how the cruise industry is benefiting Scottish tourism in addition to efforts to achieve net zero operations by 2050.
The visit was run in partnership with the Scottish parliament’s cross-party group for maritime and shipbuilding, whose chair Paul Sweeney MSP hailed the event and the industry’s contribution.
Sweeney said: “The cruise industry has played a vital role in bringing tourists to Scotland for decades, and its fast growth in recent years has cemented it as a key part of Scotland’s tourism economy.
“The cross-party group for maritime and shipbuilding is delighted to be able to work with the industry, and to support its contributions to communities across Scotland, as well as its net zero journey.”
He added: “During the visit we discussed a number of ways in which we could deepen the value of the cruise supply chain in Scotland, from improving port facilities with green shore-side power, to winning more cruise ship refit and conversion work, promoting Glasgow as a world-leading centre of crew training for cruise lines, and using the marine engineering research base of our universities for the development of zero-emission ship propulsion systems.”
Clia UK & Ireland managing director Andy Harmer said: “The economic impact of cruise can be seen across the UK, and it was a pleasure to meet with MSPs on Balmoral to highlight how our industry benefits Scotland.
“Scotland is an extremely attractive country to visit due to the diversity of the country, its vibrant cities and its natural beauty. Cruise passengers often visit parts of the country that are rarely reached by other tourists, and it was a pleasure to meet with the MSPs to discuss the benefits this brings.”
Peter Deer, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines managing director, added: “We were delighted to welcome the delegation of MSPs on board Balmoral in Rosyth, where she will be spending most of her summer season.
“Scotland has long been an important area for Fred Olsen, with Scottish ports continuing to be popular destinations with our guests. It was a pleasure to showcase our relationship with the region and welcome the MSPs on board our beautiful ship.”