For the first time after a three-year hiatus, Galataport Istanbul is physically participating in Seatrade Cruise Global, which is attended by the world’s most important cruise tourism representatives. The fair takes place at the Miami Beach Convention Center between April 25 and 28, with 643 participants from 113 countries.
Redefining one of the most valuable historical regions of the Bosphorus, Galataport Istanbul continues to make a name for itself in the international arena.
For the first time after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Galataport Istanbul is physically participating in Seatrade Cruise Global, which is attended by the world’s most important cruise tourism representatives.
The fair takes place at the Miami Beach Convention Center between April 25 and 28, with 643 participants from 113 countries.
Figen Ayan, Deputy General Manager of Galataport Istanbul Port Management, attended the “Cruise Ports in the 21st Century” session, held within the scope of the fair, and talked about the innovations that Galataport Istanbul brought to the sector. According to the news on NTV, Ayan will convey the expectations of the cruise industry and the characteristics of Galataport Istanbul port as MedCruise President at the “Trends in the Mediterranean” session on April 26.
200 ships will arrive at Galataport
Galataport Istanbul, which started to host cruise ships as of October 2021, is expected to arrive at approximately 750 thousand passengers by the end of the year, including 200 ships and crew.
It is expected that approximately 1.5 million cruise passengers, including the crew, will arrive at Galataport Istanbul annually, starting next year.
Galataport Istanbul has an infrastructure that can host the world’s largest ships, such as the Oasis Klas, which carries more than 8 thousand passengers, including the crew. It is predicted that Galataport Istanbul, which is positioned as the main port, will bring great activity to cruise tourism in a wide geography from the Mediterranean basin to the Black Sea.
According to the data from the Ministry of Tourism, a tourist who comes to Turkey spends an average of 62 dollars. It is estimated that the average expenditure of the cruise passenger, who will come to Galataport Istanbul, will be between 400-600 euros.
According to the 2018 report of CLIA (International Cruise Lines Association), a stopover passenger spends 376 dollars in the main port city, and a daily passenger spends 101 dollars. These studies reveal that cruise passengers earn a foreign currency inflow well above the average expenditure of other tourists in every country they stop by.
Capacity for landing 3 ships at the same time
One of the most impressive features of Galataport Istanbul is the underground cruise terminal, which is the first in the world. Galataport Istanbul’s cruise terminal is spread over an area of 29 thousand m2 underground with a special cover system. In Galataport Istanbul, which can land 3 ships at the same time and can host 15 thousand passengers daily, a temporary bonded area is created thanks to the special hatch system consisting of 176 hatches that separate the bonded area and the security (ISPS) area when there are no ships at the port.
Thanks to this innovation, Karaköy’s unique coastline continues to be open to guests, except for the part where the ship lands and is separated by hatches. All kinds of terminal, baggage, and passport control procedures for cruise passengers are carried out at the underground terminal.
Figen Ayan, Deputy General Manager of Galataport Istanbul Port Management, who is the first Turkish President of MedCruise Union, which includes 145 ports in the Mediterranean basin, and has been holding this position since November 2021, said the following about participating in Seatrade Cruise Global:
“Seatrade Cruise Global is one of the most important and prestigious fairs of the world cruise industry.
When we attended the fair three years ago as Galataport Istanbul, we had the opportunity to explain our underground cruise terminal- which is a first in the World- and our operating system to participants from all over the world. At Galataport Istanbul, which we were able to convey verbally at that time, we have been hosting cruise ships, domestic and foreign guests with our full capacity operations since October 2021.
As Galataport Istanbul, we see great interest in a platform where important representatives of the world cruise industry come together, such as Seatrade Cruise Global. We are very happy to share the innovations we brought to the sector with the sessions we attended, as well as the many meeting requests we received.”