The three cruise terminals of the Port of Málaga have incorporated the international program Hidden Disabilities Sunflower, an initiative aimed at facilitating attention for people with disabilities, health conditions, or chronic illnesses that are not visible and who may require more time, understanding, or support during their transit through the facilities.
The program uses the sunflower, sunflower in English, as a symbol for a person to voluntarily and discreetly communicate that they have a disability or hidden condition and may require some additional consideration during their stay at the terminals.
Among these needs is the requirement for more time to carry out certain procedures, to receive clearer instructions, or to have greater understanding and assistance from the staff.
The initiative has been implemented by Málaga Cruise Port, the concessionaire of the three cruise terminals of the Port of Málaga — terminals A and B and the Palmeral Terminal — and belonging to Global Ports Holding (GPH).
The implementation of the program has included training and information for the main teams that maintain direct contact with passengers. These include security personnel, passenger services, terminal operators, and workers in commercial areas.
These teams have received guidelines to recognize the sunflower symbol and to know how to act when a person may need additional attention due to a disability, health condition, or chronic illness that is not visible.
Additionally, the security personnel and operators of Málaga Cruise Port have badges and identifying elements of the Sunflower program. These elements allow passengers to identify staff familiar with this initiative.
The three Málaga terminals also have specific signage related to the program. According to the provided information, this signage will continue to be adapted to improve its visibility and facilitate its identification by passengers.
The implementation of the system does not establish differentiated treatment for its users. Its purpose is to facilitate more conscious and flexible attention to needs that may not be immediately evident during travelers' transit through the port facilities.
The incorporation of Hidden Disabilities Sunflower in Málaga is part of its rollout in September within the international network of Global Ports Holding. The group currently manages 35 cruise ports across 20 countries, through which more than 22 million passengers pass each year.
Its network is present in cruise destinations in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Northern Europe, and Asia-Pacific.
Hidden Disabilities Sunflower was born in the United Kingdom in 2016 and is currently recognized in more than 95 countries. The program is present in airports, airlines, transportation systems, retail establishments, tourist destinations, and public entities.
The extension of the initiative to the Global Ports Holding network comes after an initial implementation at Nassau Cruise Port, where the group developed its first experience with this program.
Its application at the Port of Málaga encompasses the three facilities managed by Málaga Cruise Port and entails the incorporation of procedures, staff training, identifying elements, and signage outlined within the program for the attention of passengers with disabilities and hidden conditions.