Cruise success bolsters Provimar

John Gallagher

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The company has added new stores to Spanish ports to cater for growing traffic, with other developments in the military and ferry sectors

Spanish duty-free operator and ships supplier Provimar has reported strong gains from an upsurge in the cruiseline business, and has opened more outlets in Spanish ports to handle the growth. The company has added two 75sq m (807sq ft) shops at Barcelona port's cruise terminal, where it now runs a total of 9 shops, and plans to opens more early next year.

Provimar CEO Juan Sunet told RavenFox.com that Barcelona is now Europe's biggest cruise port. ?Over 1m passengers used the port last year, and this year the port authority is forecasting 1.2m,? he said. ?For this reason, we are putting the finishing touches to an additional 200sq m (2,152sq ft) outlet in Barcelona which, along with further 2 smaller outlets, should open in the first quarter of 2005."

The company has also added a 60sq m (645.6sq ft) outlet in Palma in Mallorca, where it now operates three shops.

Provimar has also been busy in the military sector. ?In spring we opened a new 170sq m (1,829sq ft) store in Pristina in Kosovo, which is our third store for NATO soldiers and diplomats in the Balkans. These stores continue to give us solid results and we hope to add a fourth store next year.?

The company also supplies Euroferries and Buquebus ferries connecting Spain with North Africa. ?The business has grown considerably this year,? said Sunet. ?We hope to add one or two new ferry companies at the beginning of 2005.?