An academic experience that brought students closer to the reality of maritime and port tourism.
On December 3rd, students from the 3rd year of the Tourism Management degree at ISLA Gaia took part in a guided visit to the Leixões Cruise Terminal, as part of the Mobility and Tourist Transport course unit.
The main objective of this activity was to provide students with direct contact with the infrastructures and operational practices that support maritime and port tourism. During the visit, students gained insight into the terminal’s operations, from passenger reception and control to the support services provided to cruise companies.
The strategic importance of this infrastructure for the region’s tourism development was also highlighted, not only due to the increasing number of visitors it welcomes each year, but also because of its role in promoting the Porto and Northern Portugal destination internationally. The terminal’s internationally recognised iconic architecture further enhances its appeal, functioning both as a service infrastructure and a tourist attraction.
This visit enabled students to better understand the complexity of terminal operations and its essential role in the tourism value chain, strengthening the link between academic learning and professional practice in a sector that continues to grow.
