Cruise Gateway will increase the maritime accessibility by developing the NSR as a cruise destination of its own and promoting it as a "lighthouse" for sustainable cruise. Main outputs are the creation of a brand for cruise in the NSR, the improvement of service quality in ports and environmentally friendly economic growth. Within the work packages, the brand will be jointly designed and best practices for a NSR cruise cycle will be identified and transferred. Cruise Gateway, at the end of the day, will have launched the "Green Cruise North Sea" and will have opened up "white spots", thus attracting more and new cruise passenger consumer groups to the NSR ports and their hinterland. 

Cruise Gateway is also represented in the MTC cluster.

Aim
Cruise Gateway seeks to develop the recognition and attractiveness of the NSR by highlighting the cultural richness as well as sustainable, economic development. Being at an early stage in this respect, the NSR has a unique chance to set the course for success while at the same time taking into consideration aspects of sustainability right from the start.

Cruise Gateway will focus on the following:

• Build up a concept of the NSR as an attractive cruise destination by developing and launching the brand Green Cruise North Sea;
• Generate innovative marketing activities to promote the NSR as an attractive cruise destination;
• Create a significant outlook on the future role of cruise tourism in the NSR (by 2030), taking into account effects of climate change and transformation of target groups and preferences;
• Ensure environmental and social responsibility within the regional cruise development;
• Set up guidelines for a sustainable cruise development in NSR cruise ports;
• Create measures to avoid the reduction of cruise ports as pure points of transfer, while integrating the regional touristic potential;
• Investigate how to ensure environmentally friendly accessibility of cruise ports on the land side by developing best practices for passenger services.

Background
High growth rates of cruise tourism in Europe have been recorded in particular for the Baltic & Mediterranean Seas. However, so far the NSR has not been recognized as a cruise destination of its own. Homeports are rare, multi-modal links lacking, regional economic effects underdeveloped and cruise circles missing. However at the same time, climate change contributes to an increased attractiveness of the NSR as a holiday destination.

To benefit from these prospects and opportunities for improvement, the NSR has to meet challenges as:

• How can a regional cruise policy ensure a sound performance of this industry?
• How can ports and related actors promote a regional maritime identity?
• How can growth be managed in a sustainable way?
• Will attention be paid to service bottlenecks (incl. safety and security) and passenger rights?
• Will regional culture and nature of ports play a role?

Cruise Gateway's project partners aim to contribute to improved cruise accessibility in the NSR on a sustainable basis, enabling comprehensive economic and social benefits.

• Creation of the brand ‘Green Cruise North Sea’;
• Establish a marketing strategy and base-line study to strengthen the touristic potential of cruise tourism;
• Develop policy blueprints and dissemination in the Policy Forum;
• Improve of service quality in ports;
• Deliver and transfer best practices regarding passenger transport, sustainability and services;
• Environmental certificates for environmental-friendliness of cruise ships.