by Staff Reporter
PALMA
THE number of passengers on cruise ships visiting the ports run by the Balearic Port Authority went up by 25 per cent in the first six months of the year compared to the same period last year, to a total of 446'747.
The biggest growth was registered in Mahon, where figures went up by 57 per cent to 36'656 passengers.
Second was the port of Palma with an increase of 23 per cent, followed by Ibiza with 18 per cent.
As to liners, Mahon also headed the list for the biggest increase in the number of visits (73 per cent), followed by Ibiza (32 per cent) and Palma (ten per cent).
According to the Port Authority, the number of visits by cruise liners rose by 24 per cent in the first six months of the year (298).
There was also an increase in passengers using the ferry services - 12 per cent in Palma, 11 per cent in Ibiza, eight per cent in Alcudia, and three per cent in La Savina (Formentera).
Mahon was the only port which suffered a loss of passengers of 42 per cent.
There was a four per cent increase in cargo, which came to nearly 7.4 million tons in the first six months of the year.