Adriatic Sea Forum 2023 programme

ADRIATIC SEA FORUM – Cruise Ferry Sail & Yacht

Adriatic Sea Forum 2023 (May 4-5)

Venue: Royal Princess Conference Center - Royal Resorts & Hotels

May 4

from 8.30

Opening and registrations from 8.30

09.30 Welcome speeches

Blaž Pezo, General Manager – Dubrovnik Port Authority
Mato Franković, Mayor – City of Dubrovnik
Joško Cebalo, Deputy Prefect – Dubrovnik-Neretva County
Josip Bilaver, State Secretary at the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure – Republic of Croatia

10.00 The European Commission’s outlook on tourism and maritime tourism in the Adriatic area

Valentina Superti, Director – Tourism, proximity and digitalisation – European Commission

10.15 Adriatic Sea Tourism Report Presentation

Francesco di Cesare, President – Risposte Turismo

10.30 Dubrovnik Host City Presentation

Jelka Tepšić, Deputy Mayor – City of Dubrovnik

Coffee break

11.15 Will the Adriatic finally be able to establish itself as a brand? The point of view of tour operators

Known in the whole world for its coasts, its landmarks and having numerous nautical marinas and many facilities, the Adriatic is an important maritime tourist destination, even if in the last ten years no strong branding action seems to have been undertaken. What is preventing it? This session will offer the point of view of tourism operators.

Introduces and moderates: Francesco di Cesare, President – Risposte Turismo

Dragan Kostadinović, Owner – Shuttle Travel Agency DMC
Srdan Kristic, Managing Director – Adriatic DMC
Maro Saulovic, General Manager – Gulliver DMC
Kristijan Švajnzger, General Manager East Europe, Iceland and Caucasus – Intrepid DMC

12.00 What’s new in Adriatic?

Presentations - part 1

Sea traffic in the Adriatic means a plurality of differentiated sectors. Each year new ships are built, new marinas are opened, new routes and itineraries are created. What’s new and interesting in the Adriatic?

The incoming EUSAIR HR Presidency &short info about the EUSAIR Strategy in Pillar 2 and 4
Lidija Pansegrau Hadrović, Deputy National Coordinator- EUSAIR
The new digital portal for small ports in Adriatic
Pierpaolo Campostrini, Director – CORILA – LP Interreg IT-HR Framesport
The new cruise terminal of Ravenna port
Mario Petrosino, Chief Operating Officer – Port of Ravenna

Networking lunch

14.00 From infrastructure growth & source markets’ marketing to sustainable growth & non-mainstream destinations’ marketing. How Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum discussion topics have shifted over the years to reflect market trends & needs

Maria Photou, Marketing & Events Coordinator – Posidonia Exhibitions S.A.

14.15 Adriatic tourism destinations

A debate on balancing the needs of tourism destinations as maritime tourists grow in Adriatic.

Introduces and moderates: Anthony La Salandra, Managing Director – Risposte Turismo

Alberto Cappato, Secretary of the Board of Directors – AIVP (Association Internationale Villes et Ports)
Mato Franković, Mayor – City of Dubrovnik
Mateja Hrvatin Kozlovič, Deputy Mayor – City of Koper
Dritan Leli, Mayor – City of Vlore
Rikardo Novac, Mayor – City of Hvar
Massimo Seri, President – FAIC (Forum of Adriatic and Ionian Cities), Mayor – City of Fano

15.15 concurrent sessions

Offer vs Demand in nautical tourism in Adriatic: where lies the balance?

The offer of nautical tourism in the Adriatic is wide and differentiated to meet the needs and preferences of its nautical tourists. Is it possible and sustainable to further widen the number of marinas and berths, or the Adriatic may face a risk of overcapacity?

ROOM: ADRIATIC

Introduces and moderates: Roberto Perocchio, President – ASSOMARINAS

Roddy Blair, Marina Director – Porto Montenegro
Dorijan Dujmic, Managing Partner – BWA Croatia
Paško Klisović, President – Nautical Tourism Association of Croatian Chamber of Economy
Sergej Mazur, CEO – Simple Sail

Relaunching holidays via ferries: new strategies, products, markets

Ferry business is vital for tourism in Adriatic and its traffic had been particularly resilient during the pandemic. Apart from being a way of transportation, how can ferry really be more and more a constitutive element of the Adriatic tourism offer?

Introduces and moderates: Anthony La Salandra, Managing Director – Risposte Turismo

Davide Chiesi, Passenger Dept. Manager – Adria Ferries
Massimo Di Giacomo, Sole Director – Anek Lines Italia
Athanasios Porfyris, CEO – Port of Igoumenitsa
David Sopta, CEO – Jadrolinija
Fabio Sibilio, Marketing Manager – Grandi Navi Veloci
Paula Vidović, Director – Croatian Agency for Coastal Line Maritime Transport

May 5

from 9.00

Opening from 9.00

09.15 Is Adriatic losing its momentum in global cruise tourism?

Analysing some data on cruise tourism and considering those risky factors which could discourage cruise traffic in some territories, what could bring the cruise traffic back to that seen in the past years? Which new actions should be undertaken? Is there something missing to reach this goal?

Opening remarks: Wybcke Meier, CEO – TUI Cruises

Introduces and moderates: Anthony La Salandra, Managing Director – Risposte Turismo

Spyros Almpertis, VP Port Ops, Itinerary Planning & Fuel Management – Crystal
Daniel Caprile, Vice President Pricing and Revenue Management, Itinerary & Transportation – Costa Cruises
Elisabetta De Nardo, Vice President Port Development – MSC Cruises
Ljubo Radović, Marketing & development – Port of Kotor
Fabrizio Spagna, President – Venezia Terminal Passeggeri

10.30 How to improve the Adriatic competitiveness in superyacht business?

Starting from some data about mega yachts, the debate will provide an overview of yacht sector in Adriatic: which are the strong and weak points? What to expect from the very next future?

Introduces and moderates: Braslav Karlic, Editor In Chief – MORE Magazine

Maja Ban – Director, MYS Yachting
Nikola Banović – Director, Portonovi Marina
Ajka Matijevic, Founder – A+ Yachting
Stefano Tositti, CEO – Acquera Yachting

Coffee break

11.45 What’s new in Adriatic?

Presentations - part 2

IPA ADRION Programme perspective
Giulia Frattini, Communications Officer – IPA ADRION Programme

11.55 The new Maritime Domain and Seaports Act – opportunities and challenges for port authorities

Nina Perko, PhD, Director of Directorate for Maritime Affairs at the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure – Republic of Croatia

12.05 Key outcomes of the first Summit of the Adriatic Ports’ Presidents

Tomislav Batur, President – Croatian Association of Port Authorities

12.15 The Adriatic’s future we wish: sustainable, prosperous, smart… is all that possible?

To which aspects should be given priority? Is it possible to respect the whole range of sustainability aspects or should a choice be necessarily made? How can we balance the theme of sustainability with other important goals?

Introduces and moderates: Francesco di Cesare, President – Risposte Turismo

Josep Canals-Molina, Secretary General – Med Cities
Zeno D’Agostino, President – European Sea Ports Organization, President – Ports of Trieste and Monfalcone
Rodolfo Giampieri, President – Italian Ports Association
Marie-Caroline Laurent, Director General – CLIA Europe
Kristijan Pavic, President – ACI Marinas
Joze Tomaš, President – CCE Split County Chamber and Forum AIC

Networking lunch

14.15 New challenges for Croatia as leading maritime tourism destination

A debate and discussion among stakeholders focused on the future of Croatia in the maritime tourism in the Adriatic, between launched projects’ presentations and identification of future goals.

Opening remarks: Tonči Glavina, State Secretary – Ministry of Tourism and Sport – Republic of Croatia

Introduces and moderates: Sandra Lacković – journalist at Croatian Radiotelevision

Miro Drašković, Director – Dubrovnik Tourist Board
Tonči Glavina, State Secretary – Ministry of Tourism and Sport – Republic of Croatia
Ivo Klaić, Head of Administrative Department for Tourism, Entrepreneurship and the Sea of Dubrovnik-Neretva County
Ivan Maslać, Commercial Director – Dubrovnik Airport
Zrinka Raguž, Head of the Administrative Department for EU Funds, Regional and International Cooperation – City of Dubrovnik
Nebojša Stojčić, PhD, Vice rector for business affairs – University of Dubrovnik