Türkiye is seeing a significant leap in cruise passenger traffic, according to a senior official, as bookings witness a resurgence after the COVID-19 pandemic caused luxury liners to mothball.
The volume adds to the buoyant tourism season that is a vital source of income for Türkiye, which has, over the years, injected vast investments to ensure its ports are capable of hosting the luxury mega-sized ships seeking to become a premier destination for cruise enthusiasts and travelers alike.
Some 569,280 tourists have arrived at Türkiye’s ports onboard the cruise ships in the May-June-July period of this year, marking a 66.7% year-over-year increase, according to Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu.
These included 176,840 arrivals in May, 183,407 passengers in June and 209,033 tourists in July. Arrivals in July alone rose 72.6%
The volume compared to a combined 341,556 cruise passengers who arrived in the three-month period of last year.
The trend, according to authorities, signals a record-breaking volume will be achieved by the end of the year.
The pandemic dealt a heavy blow to the industry, raising questions about whether it would ever recover. Cruise companies are now seeing customers return.
Uraloğlu emphasized the vital role of the cruise industry in Türkiye’s overall tourism landscape, highlighting the surge in arrivals and stressing the role of key port cities such as Kuşadası and Istanbul.
"The investments we have made in cruise ports are translating into tangible contributions to both tourism and our country's economy. We anticipate reaching record-breaking passenger numbers by the end of the year," the minister told Anadolu Agency (AA).
The Cruise Lines International Association has predicted that global passenger volume will surpass pre-pandemic levels with 31.5 million passengers in 2023.
Uraloğlu underscored the consistent investments made in cruise tourism over the years, emphasizing their positive impact on both the tourism sector and the broader economy.
"We foresee reaching a milestone of over 1 million cruise passengers by the year's end. Furthermore, we believe this number will continue to grow in the coming years," he said.
The minister highlighted the significance of key port cities in attracting cruise ships, with Kuşadası leading the pack as a vital logistical hub. Istanbul, Çeşme, Bodrum and Çanakkale ports follow suit in terms of popularity among cruise liners.
Some 574 cruise ships docked at Turkish ports from January through July, marking a 31.4% year-over-year increase, according to the Maritime General Directorate.
The number of passengers jumped 83.6% to 691,958, the data showed.
Kuşadası alone welcomed nearly half of the luxury liners at 264 ships, welcoming some 372,831 passengers.
Istanbul followed with 102 ships and 169,320 passengers, while Çeşme sit third with 47 ships and 30,015 tourists. Bodrum welcomed 42 ships and 39,679 passengers, while Çanakkale received 22 ships with a total of 11,276 tourists.
