Cantabria will increase cruise ship calls by 50% in 2026 thanks to the work carried out by Santander Cruise Deluxe, a strategic brand for the promotion of cruise tourism in the region. This was highlighted during its presentation at the International Tourism Fair (FITUR 2026), at an event attended by the President of the Santander Port Authority (APS), César Díaz; Santander City Council’s Councillor for Tourism, Fran Arias; and the Regional Minister for Tourism and Hospitality of the Government of Cantabria, María Saiz.
During the presentation of the annual review of actions undertaken by Santander Cruise Deluxe and its forecasts for 2026, María Saiz stressed the importance of cruise tourism as a strategic product both for Santander and for Cantabria as a whole, underlining the key role played by the brand in promoting the destination at national and international level.
The Regional Minister highlighted that the interests and motivations of cruise passengers are fully aligned with the strengths of the autonomous community. In this regard, she noted that Cantabria offers a clear competitive advantage thanks to its wide range of complementary attractions, which allow visitors to explore historic towns, traditional architecture and UNESCO World Heritage sites such as the Altamira Cave and Santillana del Mar in a short period of time, as well as outstanding cultural, natural, scenic and gastronomic resources.
“The short distances within our region make it easy for cruise passengers to travel comfortably and enjoy a diverse, high-quality offer, enhancing the visitor experience and the positive impact of cruise tourism across the territory,” Saiz said. She also reaffirmed the Government of Cantabria’s commitment to the growth of the Port of Santander as a key infrastructure for economic and tourism development.
Meanwhile, APS President César Díaz described Santander Cruise Deluxe as “an agile and effective instrument” that is meeting the objectives set by the administrations involved in the Cruise Tourism Roadmap. According to Díaz, this growth is sustainable and will help consolidate Santander as a benchmark port for premium cruises in northern Spain.
Target: 90,000 Cruise Passengers by 2030
The Santander Cruise Deluxe strategy is based on the findings of an Impact Study and the recommendations of a Roadmap drawn up following an in-depth analysis of cruise tourism in Cantabria. The brand is currently working on nineteen lines of action with the aim of reaching 90,000 cruise passengers by 2030, which could generate a direct economic impact of up to €24.1 million.
These initiatives range from attracting and expanding cruise tourism, improving the management of services for ships and passengers and strengthening the local economic impact, to actions linked to sustainability, destination innovation and the coordination and governance of the project.