Turkiye, which is shown as a “center of attraction” in cruise tourism, is expected to break a record in the number of ships and passengers in 2024.
Turkiye, which is an important center in cruise tourism due to its geographical location, attracts a significant number of cruise ships with the investments it has made in its ports recently.
According to the data of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, the number of cruise passengers arriving at Turkish ports as of January-November last year exceeded 1.5 million, reaching the highest figure of all time. Cruise companies have made an upward revision in their targets for the number of ships and passengers they will bring to Turkish ports in 2024, which is predicted to be the “year of cruises” in the world. Turkiye is expected to break a record in cruise tourism this year as well.
Celestyal Cruises Turkiye Director Ozgu Alnitemiz, in a statement to AA correspondent, said that the cruise industry recovered after the epidemic and started to attack again all over the world in 2023.
Explaining that they have left behind a “bright year” for the sector in Turkiye, Alnitemiz stated that 1167 cruise ships arrived at the ports as of the end of November. Alnitemiz said, “This means an increase of 19.4% compared to the same period of the previous year. Likewise, the number of arriving passengers increased by 51.6% compared to the same period of the previous year and reached 1 million 517 thousand 933. We have exceeded the target of 1.5 million cruise passengers as of November.”
Changed the route to Turkish ports
Evaluating the effects of the Russia-Ukraine War and Israel’s attacks on Palestine on the sector, Alnitemiz said, “Tourism is one of the sectors most affected by such developments. In these cases, programs may change and plans are remade. There were cruise ships in the Eastern Mediterranean that turned their route westwards and towards Turkish ports. Our wish is for the war to end as soon as possible and for humanity to have no wars in our region and all over the world.”
Alnitemiz pointed out that the cruise industry is a developing market in the world and said that these ships have developed in terms of capacity and equipment.
“The eyes of the world cruise industry are on us”
Explaining that the sector closed last year with the number of passengers exceeding 31 million in the world, Alnitemiz said:
“The sector’s target for 2024 is predicted to be 36 million at the global level. The advantages of cruise travel have begun to be noticed and it has become a more preferred type of travel. With this perspective, interest in our country is also increasing. The most important thing is our position as Turkiye. The eyes of the giant companies of the world cruise industry are on us. Turkiye is a center of attraction in the Mediterranean basin. A destination that does not include our country, Ephesus and Istanbul is unthinkable. As the Turkish cruise market, we have recaptured the bright years. It is possible to take the cruise potential much further and raise the bar even further in our paradise country, surrounded by seas on three sides, with its history, nature and culture. Why shouldn’t we plan for 2024 with a target of 2 million or even 2.5 million passengers? Why shouldn’t we talk about the number of ships of 2 thousand people? We will raise the target for the number of arriving ships and passengers for 2024. As Celestyal, we closed 2023 40% above our target. 2024 also started very well. We reached 15% of our target as of January in the early booking period, which is pleasing. We recommend our guests to plan their holidays early in order to avoid being affected by the foreign exchange rate and not to miss the early booking advantages offered by the ships.”
“Cruise tourism is still the fastest growing sector”
MSC Cruises Turkiye Country Manager Isin Hekimoglu stated that they had a successful year as a sector and emphasized that the increasing interest in these trips encouraged cruise companies to develop new routes.
Pointing out that Turkiye is in an important position with its being surrounded by seas on three sides and easy accessibility of attractions, Hekimoglu said, “We are developing our plans for Turkiye in order to respond to the increasing interest, we aim to bring more ships departing from different ports in Turkiye and offer unique destinations to our guests.”
Hekimoglu explained that cruise companies were looking for other ports due to geopolitical developments and that Turkiye was preferred due to its capacity. Underlining that Turkish ports that are not included in the annual programs are the best option for guests who have a reservation and do not want to cancel their trip, Hekimoglu continued as follows:
“Cruise tourism continues to be the fastest growing sector. 85% of cruise passengers in the world state that they want to cruise again. This rate increased by 6% compared to before the pandemic. We shape our programs according to demands. Increasing awareness about cruise travel and explaining that cruise travel is an accessible holiday option should be the primary goal of cruise companies.”
“It is estimated that 2024 will be the ‘cruise year’ in a global sense”
Emphasizing that cruise tourism will play a major role in the growth of the Turkish tourism sector, Hekimoglu said:
“Both the increasing number of ships coming to Turkish ports and bringing foreign guests and the increasing interest of Turkish guests in cruise holidays will contribute to the development of cruise tourism. The cruise market is expected to exhibit consistent and positive growth from 2024 to 2030. This indicates a positive outlook for the sector. Most cruise ships operated at full capacity in 2023 and will continue to operate at full capacity in 2024. The cruise industry is a fast-growing market and it is estimated that 2024 will be the ‘year of the cruise ship’ globally.”
Source: Trthaber / Prepared by Irem Yildiz