Global Ports Holding Eastern Mediterranean Ports Regional Director Aziz Güngör said that they expect 1.5 million tourists to come to Turkey with 1,100 cruise lines this year.
Güngör stated that the highest number of passengers in cruise tourism in Turkey was reached in 2013 with 2.3 million tourists and the year in which the highest number of ships docked was 2011 with 1650 cruise ships.
Güngör said that due to the new type of coronavirus (Kovid-19) epidemic, the number of ships approaching ports in Turkey decreased almost in 2020 and that 45 thousand passengers arrived with only 80 ships last year.
“Of course, when we look at these figures, we see the period we are in as a period when wounds are healed and recovery will be experienced. We expect 2023 to be the year when our country’s 2.3 million passenger targets, which it has achieved in the past, will be realized again. In this respect, our expectation in 2022 is that 1.5 million will be caught with 1100 cruises. Of course, we evaluate them according to their ship capacities. However, it is also said that the occupancy rates of the ships may be slightly lower due to the effect of the pandemic. Accordingly, there may be some changes in the number of passengers, of course.”
Güngör stated that he believes there will be a rapid recovery in the sector. “This great recovery is expected not only for Turkey but also for the world.”
“Kuşadası will lead this business”
Güngör stated that only the ports of Kuşadası and Istanbul were opened for passengers in October last year, and continued as follows,
“Then the restrictions were lifted as of January. During a normal season, cruise ships dock at 25 ports in our country, but there are only 4-5 ports in our country, which exclusively host cruise ships. Again, we expect that 25 ports will host ships in one way or another this year. Mainly, Kuşadası will lead this business. Istanbul Galata Port, Cesme, Bodrum, Marmaris, Antalya and Alanya ports will also be the following ports.”
Noting that their expectation is 750 thousand passengers in Kuşadası this year, Güngör stated that the number of cruise ships docking at Istanbul Port, which hosted only 10 ships last year, will increase to 400 this year.
Güngör also stated that the world’s ports expect 30 million passengers this year.
The effect of the Russia-Ukraine war on the sector
Noting that many companies have turned their route to the Mediterranean due to the war between Russia and Ukraine, Güngör stated that they have heard that Russia has also canceled the Saint Petersburg Port.
Güngör said, “This situation will benefit other countries in the vicinity, especially our country, but the heart wishes that this crisis will end as soon as possible and both the Black Sea cruise market and the Baltic Sea cruise market keep their activity.”