Corfu: 556,479 cruise passengers in seven months

Cruise traffic at the port of Corfu recorded a significant rise in the first seven months of 2026. According to figures from the Corfu Port Authority published by Naftemporiki, from January to July 556,479 cruise passengers passed through, against 474,331 in the corresponding period of 2025, that is an increase of 17.3%. Cruise ship calls came to 279, against 251 last year, marking a rise of 11.2%. “The performance of the first seven months of 2026 confirms the steady confidence of the international cruise market in Corfu,” said the chief executive of the Corfu Port Authority, Dimitris Apergis.

The largest increase was recorded in June, when the port welcomed 163,488 passengers against 125,627 in June 2025, that is a rise of 30.1%, with calls increasing from 61 to 72. In July passengers came to 165,018 against 145,440 last year, an increase of 13.5%, and calls to 69 against 63. The fact that passengers are rising faster than calls suggests that the ships arriving are of greater capacity, a trend recorded across the Mediterranean in recent years. Larger ships require deeper quays and more passenger waiting areas, factors that also shape the design of the new infrastructure.

At the same time two studies are under way, with a total budget of 414,000 euros, which are to be completed within 2026: one for a new Cruise Passenger Terminal and the other for a new Non-Schengen Passenger Terminal. The second concerns checks on passengers arriving from countries outside the Schengen zone and is necessary for serving itineraries that include ports of third countries. The authority also welcomed for the first time a small-scale luxury cruise ship at the port of Gaios on Paxos, where a new Passenger Terminal is in operation.

Cruise tourism is a significant pillar of the local economy, as passengers who disembark for a few hours feed retail, catering, guided tours and transport. At the same time, the concentration of thousands of visitors within a limited period puts pressure on the old town of Corfu, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and on the island’s infrastructure networks. No timetable has been announced for the tendering of the works that will result from the two studies, nor their source of funding. Figures for the year as a whole will be published after the end of the season. Corfu competes for its place on Adriatic itineraries with ports in Italy, Croatia and Montenegro, where investment in cruise infrastructure is also being made. The Corfu Port Authority also manages the ports of Paxos, which broadens the scope of its planning across the entire northern Ionian.