Biggest visit ever for Motril port

MOTRIL was flooded with visitors on Thursday (October 22) when Holland America Lines’ 14-storey Nieuw Amsterdam, the biggest cruise-liner to ever dock in the port, stopped off for a visit.

The ship, carrying more than 3,000 people onboard, was welcomed to the area by various members of the local and port authorities and sugarcane juice was handed out to the newcomers to give them a taste of what they could find in the town.

While 15 coaches arrived to carry the more adventurous off for day trips, mostly to the Alhambra in Granada, an estimated 1,500 passengers chose to stay in Motril and were treated to a flamenco show and invited to discover what the tourist office and Teatro Calderon had to offer.

Local Tourism councillor Alicia Crespo stressed the importance of making this type of visitor feel at home: “The travellers that come to Motril on this type of cruise are big spenders and their impact is just as great as those who come in search of sun and beaches. Although they stay for less time their average spending is higher.”