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Corsica down 1.4%

This was the first downturn in a very long time in traffic to Corsica. Constant increases since 1996 had seen passenger levels double since those days.
The drop affected Corsica Ferries, not SNCM, and passenger numbers (873,388) not vehicles (267,812). There were 110 fewer crossings than in 2002 due to technical incidents, poor weather and strike action.
High-speed vessels now carry 63% of passengers. Traffic to Ile Rousse increased by 39% but other destinations suffered from the drop in traffic levels. SNCM is market leader with 56% of market share compared to Corsica Ferries' 44%. Traffic levels peak significantly in July and August.

Cruises

Over 460,000 passengers (Cannes and Nice-Villefranche): an increase of 14% despite a difficult economic context and an increase of 15% in 2002. European customers (notably the Spanish) continue to flock to Nice-Villefranche, France's most popular cruise port with 346,581 passengers (ahead of Marseilles).
Cannes, celebrating the second full season of its new cruise quay, registered an 11% increase in 2003 (102,803 passengers) and continued to develop its infrastructures.

Economic impact per cruise passenger:

- E91 to E122 per stopover passenger
- E152 to E183 per end-of-line passenger for the local economy.

Yachting

There are 4 million pleasure boaters in France today and 50,051 of them came to the Cannes Yacht Show (+15% on 2002). 4% more nights were spent in our harbours thanks to optimisation work.

- Setting up of information meetings intended for subscribers and long term yachtsmen economy and an increase of 15% recorded in 2002.

- In 2003, the four ports and the Riviera Port Authority have been granted the ISO 9001 label (2000 standard).