Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, Türkiye’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, in an interview, shed light on the significant increase in the number of cruise ships and passengers docking at Turkey’s ports.
Highlighting that Turkey has become a popular tourist destination, Uraloğlu pointed out that the rise in demand is evident in the increased number of cruise ships and passengers. He recalled that with the onset of the summer season, there has been a notable spike in tourist arrivals. “In April, we had 88,566 cruise passengers, which surged to 176,840 in May. June saw 183,407 passengers, while July witnessed 209,033 arrivals. Last year, during May-July, we welcomed 341,556 cruise passengers. This year, in the same period, the number grew by 66.7% to reach 569,280,” Uraloğlu stated.
Emphasizing the long-term investments made in cruise tourism, Uraloğlu said, “The impact of our investments in cruise ports on tourism and the national economy is evident in the numbers. We anticipate record-breaking passenger numbers by year-end. We expect the annual count of cruise passengers to surpass 1 million. I believe this trend will continue to rise in the coming years.”
Minister Uraloğlu mentioned that cruise ships frequently dock at Turkey’s prime tourism centers, with Istanbul being a key destination. “Kuşadası, a major logistical hub, tops the list of our ports. It’s followed by Istanbul, Çeşme, Bodrum, and Çanakkale,” he added.
Uraloğlu also emphasized the importance of these ports not just for tourism but for cargo transport as well. He highlighted that container loadings for exports rose by 8.6% in July, while transit container handling surged by 46.3%. (AA)
