On 24-25 September 2008, Odessa, Ukraine will host the 1st International Conference “BlackSeaCruise 2008” to promote cruise tourism and sea transportation in Black Sea.

The conference is organized by Odessa Commercial Sea Port, the International Black and Azov Seas Port Association (BASPA), "Ports of Ukraine" Publishing House and the Center for Information and Analytics 'BlackSeaTrans'.

The conference is supported by governments and municipalities of port cities of the countries located in the Black Sea Region. Representatives of port authorities and passenger terminals, tourist companies of host cities, maritime and information agencies, as well as international mass media will attend the conference.

The conference theme is especially topical on the threshold of the European Football Championship 2012 in Ukraine and winter Olympic Games 2014 in Russia (Sochi). Special attention of world community to these events gives the unique possibility to all Black Sea countries to make a global shift in development of cruise shipping and passenger carriages on the Black Sea.