Seeking for a Better Fitting: Understanding the Tour Operators for Cruises on Sao Miguel Island

A good management/organization of the entire cruise system, which helps in adequate marketing of the destination and proper development of the ports’ infrastructure, would result in a functional environment for the tourist. Further, these measures would positively influence the attractiveness of the destination [Gracan (Pomorski zbornik 51:103–116, 2016)]. As far as entertainment is concerned, cruise ships are very similar to each other, creating more and more on-board activities, shopping and other quality services, as well as the sale of products and services on land. These can be all summarized in one common factor: being considerably more expensive on-board than when purchased off the ship [Clancy (Cruise ship tourism. CABI, 2017)]. Therefore, this study focuses on the role of tour operators of large nautical cruises in activity on Sao Miguel Island (Azores, Portugal), in order to understand their commercial adaptation to the type of tourism expanding in the archipelago, as well as discusses the advantage of the existence of a Commercial Office to concentrate all the offers of all tour operators in Ponta Delgada’s port.