The Macaronesian port association grows by 12.64% year-on-year and consolidates the ports of Las Palmas, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Funchal as the three main drivers of passenger traffic
2025 volume exceeds pre-pandemic 2019 levels by 46.99%, confirming the recovery of the Atlantic destination’s growth cycle
Cruise Atlantic Islands (CAI), the international association bringing together the main port authorities of Macaronesia — including the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands and Cape Verde — has released its 2025 statistical results, closing the year with 4,708,190 cruise passengers, the highest volume recorded by the organisation since its statistical series began in 1994. This represents a 12.64% increase compared to 2024, when 4,179,673 passengers were recorded, confirming the sustained momentum of cruise tourism in the Atlantic.
The 2025 performance further strengthens CAI’s long-term upward trend: from 286,082 passengers in 1994 to today’s record figure, underscoring the international consolidation of Atlantic itineraries and the growing positioning of Macaronesia in the global cruise market.
Beatriz Calzada, President of Cruise Atlantic Islands and President of the Port Authority of Las Palmas, stated: “These figures confirm the excellent momentum currently experienced by the Atlantic island ports and reflect the coordinated work carried out by the port authorities that make up CAI. Alignment in promotion, planning and operational standards enables us to offer cruise lines a strong, complementary and increasingly competitive destination in the Atlantic.”
The port authorities of Las Palmas, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Madeira drive growth in 2025
Looking at the 2025 breakdown, the Port Authority of Las Palmas once again leads Cruise Atlantic Islands in overall passenger numbers, welcoming 2,080,042 cruise passengers and accounting for a 44.3% market share. It is followed by the Port Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, which reached 1,616,490 passengers, representing 34.3% of total traffic. The Port Authority of Madeira ranks third with 746,257 passengers and a 15.8% share, while the Port Authority of the Azores recorded 157,685 passengers, equivalent to 3.3% of the total. Meanwhile, the Port Authority of Cape Verde handled 98,716 passengers in 2025, corresponding to a 2.1% share.
At port level, Santa Cruz de Tenerife topped CAI traffic in 2025 with 1,126,092 passengers, followed by the Port of Las Palmas in Gran Canaria with 994,954 and Funchal in Madeira with 744,699. Together, these three ports accounted for the bulk of total passenger movements within the association.
