Apextour Assistant General Manager Orhan Üstündağ said, “Cruise industry which recently becomes very popular here in Turkey as well, will achieve a record by the end of this year”.

Mr. Üstündağ added, “Worldwide, the cruise industry has an annual passenger compound annual growth rate of 7.6% from 1990 – 2011. This year’s passenger numbers and growth target is expected with a record of 9%”.

Mr. Üstündağ highlighted World Cruise Industry as follows:

• Cruise industry carried 12.6 million passengers in 2008.
• The number of passengers carried in 2009 is 13.5 million.
• In 2010, the number of cruise passengers reached 14.7 million and an annual revenue of 29 billion dollars.
• In 2011, a total of 16 million cruise passengers is expected to be carried with a total of 252 cruise ships.

Mr. Üstündağ revealed his projection for the 2015 cruise industry as 15 new cruise ships with 36 thousand new bed capacity; the total bed capacity will reach 550 thousand.

Mr. Üstündağ also announced that Europe and especially Northern Europe cruise itineraries are popular in the world. In Turkey, cruise programs to Greek Islands are the most popular tours of this year.