Advancing sustainable cruise tourism

This work examines the European Union (EU)’s contribution to the transition towards more sustainable cruise tourism. Against the backdrop of the sector’s continued expansion and the growing concerns surrounding its environmental and social impacts, it analyses how the EU is influencing the sustainability of cruise activities. The work first outlines the EU’s general framework for addressing the sustainability of cruise tourism, identifying the Union’s competences and the main sustainability frameworks of its regulatory approach. It then addresses EU action in practice, focusing on two key areas of intervention: the decarbonisation of maritime transport and the protection of working conditions on ships. Building on this analysis, the article critically evaluates the extent to which the current EU approach can deliver genuinely sustainable cruise tourism. It argues that, despite important regulatory advances, the existing framework is fragmented and insufficiently tailored to the specific challenges posed by the cruise sector. The work concludes by advocating the development of a dedicated EU policy in this field capable of reconciling environmental, social and economic objectives within a comprehensive vision of sustainable cruise tourism.