Turkey and Turkish ports were introduced at the booth of the Turkish Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) at the Seatrade Cruise Global Fair in Miami, USA, the biggest meeting of global cruise tourism.
Burç Ceylan, Consul General of the Republic of Turkey in Miami, Head of Marine Tourism Department of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, in order for more cruise ships to come to our country in 20 and beyond, at the Fair on September 80-27, where approximately 30 thousand visitors attended and more than 2022 cruise lines and agencies were represented. The Turkish delegation, consisting of Elçin Öncü, Head of TGA Department Fatoş Özsoy, and Chairman of the İzmir Branch Board of Directors Yusuf Öztürk on behalf of the IMEAK Chamber of Shipping, held mutual and productive meetings with the representatives of the cruise lines.
Galataport Istanbul, which was a finalist in the "Best port" category at Seatrade Cruise Global, was also awarded. Yusuf Öztürk, Head of İzmir Branch of the IMEAK Chamber of Shipping, received the award.
TURKEY IS AN ESSENTIAL DESTINATION
Making an evaluation after the fair, Yusuf Öztürk, Chairman of the Board of Directors of IMEAK Chamber of Shipping Izmir Branch, said that their belief that Turkish ports will return to the global cruise tourism market in 2022 has increased. Explaining that cruise operators plan to increase their voyages in 2022 and beyond in line with health and safety protocols along with vaccination, Öztürk stated that Turkey is an indispensable destination in the Mediterranean market and Turkish ports will also take a share from the expansion ring in the cruise sector.
Expressing that MSC, the world's leading cruise operator, has decided to restart flights from Turkey starting in the spring of 2022, Öztürk said that Ege Port Kuşadası and Galataport Istanbul have received a large number of reservations for the next year and that Costa will launch a flight to İzmir this month. announced that it was. Öztürk said, “The cruise industry has started to get rid of the effects of the pandemic, depending on the course of vaccination and travel restrictions. While many newly built cruise ships wait to land on the water, many people look forward to embarking on cruises. We expect our country to host a large number of ships and passengers on the Eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea lines, especially with the commissioning of Galataport Istanbul, which accepted the first ship this week," he said.
A STRONG RECOVERY WILL BE EXPERIENCED IN 2022
Global Ports Holding Eastern Mediterranean Regional Director, Ege Port Kuşadası General Manager and IMEAK Chamber of Shipping Izmir Branch Board Member Aziz Güngör said that Turkish ports were effectively represented at the Miami Fair and they had very productive meetings with important cruise ship companies. .
Güngör said, “Overall, 2022 will be a year when Turkey will be included in cruise itineraries with great enthusiasm by cruise ship companies and a strong recovery will be experienced especially in terms of certain ports. In fact, we expect a record growth in Kuşadası, the leading port of our country. Istanbul Galataport will also witness significant recovery. 2023 is expected to be a year in which all the effects of the global crisis are erased and the sector resumes its strong growth from where it left off. Again, according to estimates, 2023 will be a year in which very strong growth will be experienced in terms of all our ports. Thus, Turkey will reach the place it deserves as one of the most loved and preferred destinations in the sector.”
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