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Interest of Russian tourists in Samsun

The Astoria Grande cruise ship, which carries 1,491 people, has docked at Samsun Port. Since the beginning of cruise tourism, the Astoria Grande has made significant contributions to the regional economy. After a one-week break, the cruise ship has returned to Samsun. Departing from Sochi, Russia, and having visited Izmir, Istanbul, Bartın, and Sinop, the ship, with 1,047 tourists out of the 1,491 passengers, will allow its guests to spend time in Samsun and Amasya. Tourists staying in Samsun will visit the Bandırma Ship Museum, Samsun Museum, Cumhuriyet Square, Amazon Village, shopping malls, beaches, and Vezirköprü. Those heading to Amasya will tour the Amasya Museum, Çakallar Hill, and the city itself. In the evening, the ship will depart from Samsun and head towards Trabzon.

The Astoria Grande cruise ship arrived in Samsun with 1,036 passengers

The cruise ship named Astoria Grande docked in Samsun for the 8th time during the 2024 tourism season. Tourists who arrived in Samsun had the opportunity to see the city's natural beauty. They visited Bandırma Ferry, Samsun Museum, Amazon Village, shopping centers, and the Şahinkaya Canyon in the Vezirköprü district. Some tourists chose to visit Amasya, where they explored the Amasya Museum, Çakallar Tepesi, and other sites, taking plenty of photos and shopping. The ship will depart in the evening to continue its journey.

Trabzon is on the way to a tourism record with cruises and increasing flights

Provincial Culture and Tourism Director Tamer Erdoğan stated that Trabzon is one of the important tourism centers of the Eastern Black Sea region. Trabzon, which hosted over 1.319 million visitors last year, is expected to attract even more tourists this year with the increase in direct flights and visa exemptions. The start of direct flights, especially from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Dubai, has led to an increase in the number of foreign tourists. Cruise tourism is also reviving. In 2022, Trabzon hosted nearly 5,000 passengers with 8 ships, and in 2023, it welcomed 16,728 passengers with 23 ships. In 2024, it is planned that 21 more cruise ships will arrive. Tourists visiting Trabzon express their admiration for the city's nature and tourism opportunities. Ibrahim Khalil from Oman and Hassan Daghriri from Saudi Arabia mentioned that they returned to rediscover the beauty of Trabzon.

705 cruise ships are expected to arrive at Aegean ports

The ports of Izmir, Çesme, and Kuşadası are preparing to host a total of 705 cruise ships this year. Yusuf Öztürk, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Izmir Branch of the Chamber of Shipping, stated during the ordinary council meeting in February that the stagnation in the global economy and bottlenecks in the Red Sea and the Panama Canal have affected maritime trade. Öztürk emphasized that more than 33 ships were attacked in the Red Sea recently, and he noted that ship passages through the Suez Canal decreased by 55% compared to the previous year. He also mentioned a 67% decrease in container ships and approximately a 75% increase in Cape of Good Hope passages. Öztürk stressed that the economic and environmental costs of the Red Sea crisis are continuously increasing. Regarding the decrease in freight rates, Öztürk attributed it to weak demand and excess container ship capacity. Öztürk painted a positive picture regarding the docking of 705 cruise ships scheduled for Izmir, Cesme, and Kusadasi ports this year. This development is expected to increase the tourism potential of the region and bring economic vitality.

Turkey achieves its cruise tourism goals

The cruise sector recovered after the pandemic and made a global comeback in 2023. After the COVID-19 pandemic, Turkey significantly elevated its position in cruise tourism in 2023. Considered a 'hub' in cruise tourism, Turkey is expected to set records in both the number of ships and passengers in 2024. With its strategic geographical location, Turkey has become a significant hub in cruise tourism, attracting a substantial number of cruise ships with recent investments in its ports. Cruise passenger numbers surpassed 1.5 million in the first 11 months According to data from the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, as of November of last year, the number of cruise passengers arriving at Turkish ports exceeded 1.5 million, reaching the highest figure ever recorded. Cruise companies have revised their targets upwards for the number of ships and passengers they plan to bring to Turkish ports in 2024, expected to be the 'cruise year' worldwide. Turkey is anticipated to break records again in cruise tourism this year. As of the end of November, Turkey welcomed 1,167 cruise ships to its ports, representing a 19.4% increase. The number of passengers also rose by 51.6% compared to the same period the previous year, reaching 1,517,933.

The ports of Muğla hosted approximately 89,000 passengers this year

Muğla, hosting luxury cruise ships with its shades of blue and green, offers its guests an unforgettable holiday opportunity. Tourists visit Bodrum, Marmaris, and Fethiye, exploring not only the historical and cultural sites in the districts but also wandering through the city center. On walking routes, tourists have the opportunity to closely examine the bougainvillea-adorned, blue-doored white houses in the Paşatarlası area of Bodrum. Some tourists also explore the Bodrum city center and historical areas on bicycles. Visitors to Marmaris mostly prefer exploring Marmaris Bazaar, the Old Town (Kaleiçi), and the marina. Tourists visit the historical and touristic sites in the town center in groups. Some passengers also spend time at seaside restaurants and cafeterias. Hüseyin Toprak, the Director of Culture and Tourism in Muğla, told AA correspondent that there has been a significant increase in cruise tourism since last year. Toprak emphasized that Muğla, with its 1484 kilometers of coastline, the longest in Turkey, is also an important destination for cruise ships. He stated, "This year, Bodrum welcomed 62,261 passengers on 75 cruise ships, while Marmaris received 26,649 passengers on 23 cruise ships. The districts that hosted 88,910 passengers by cruise also accommodated an equivalent number of crew members and personnel." Toprak pointed out that Muğla is a city that provides services in every branch of tourism. He mentioned that this year, ships from various countries docked at the ports of Bodrum and Marmaris, hosting tourists primarily from European Union countries, including the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Murat Tugay, the General Manager of Marmaris Cruise Port, also noted an increase in cruise ship visits, stating, "Marmaris hosted 23 cruise ships this year. It is expected that this number will increase by 130% to reach 53% in 2024. With the anticipated growth in the number of ships next year and providing main port status to a significant cruise ship company, we foresee that the passenger count will exceed 100,000."

Cruise ship with Russian tourists arrived in Samsun from Russia

The cruise ship named Astoria Grande, with 420 crew members and 790 passengers, arrived directly from Russia to Samsun for the first time. While the cruise ship had visited many cities in the Black Sea, it had never anchored in Samsun before. Now, Samsun has become its regular stop. The cruise ship, expected to return 43 more times during this period, made its first entry to Samsun directly from Russia's Sochi Port. In Samsun, where cruise tourism is gaining momentum, the Astoria Grande cruise ship, carrying 790 tourists and 420 staff, was welcomed by officials at Samsun Port after returning 37 days later. After a long journey, tourists stepped onto Samsun, taking photos with both the ship and the Samsun scenery. Upon disembarking, tourists explored the city individually and in groups, engaging in shopping. It was revealed that the ship would depart from Samsun Port at 8:00 PM and head to Trabzon.

2023 cruise passenger target surpassed

Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced an increase in the number of cruise ships visiting ports during the January-November 2023 period. He stated, 'The number of cruise ships visiting our ports increased by 19.4% compared to the same period last year, reaching 1,167, and the number of cruise ship passengers also saw a 51.6% increase, totaling 1,517,933 compared to the same period last year. As of November, the target for 2023 of 1.5 million cruise passengers has been surpassed.' Minister Uraloğlu evaluated the statistics on the number of cruise ships and passengers arriving at Turkish ports, as announced by the Directorate General of Maritime. Emphasizing a dynamic year in cruise tourism, Minister Uraloğlu stated, 'Turkey has become a sought-after destination in tourism, and the increasing cruise tourism is the biggest indicator of that. There has been a record increase in the number of cruise ships and passengers arriving at our ports compared to last year.' Minister Uraloğlu stated that the target of 1.5 million cruise passengers for the year 2023 has been surpassed, reaching 1,517,933 passengers as of November. He mentioned, "We expect to reach the targeted number of 1,200 cruise ships by the end of the year." Emphasizing their ongoing investments for the development of cruise tourism, Uraloğlu expressed, "We are making the deserved investments in every corner of our paradise homeland. We take pride in seeing the results of our investments." Minister Uraloğlu provided information on the distribution of cruise ship and passenger numbers to ports in November and the January-November period of 2023, stating: "In November 2023, 35 cruise ships and 44,495 cruise passengers arrived at Kuşadası Port. In the January-November 2023 period, Kuşadası Port hosted 523 cruise ships and 774,884 cruise passengers, making it the port with the highest number of cruise ship visits and hosting the most cruise passengers. In November 2023, 25 cruise ships and 41,748 cruise passengers arrived at Istanbul Ports. In the January-November 2023 period, Istanbul ports welcomed 219 cruise ships and 392,382 cruise passengers. In November 2023, 2 cruise ships and 950 cruise passengers arrived at Bodrum Port. In the January-November 2023 period, Bodrum Port hosted 97 cruise ships and 101,159 cruise passengers. In November 2023, 1 cruise ship and 543 passengers arrived at Çeşme Port. In the January-November 2023 period, Çeşme Port received 76 cruise ships and 52,030 cruise passengers. In November 2023, 1 cruise ship and 847 cruise passengers arrived at Çanakkale Port. In the January-November 2023 period, Çanakkale Port hosted 40 cruise ships and 19,672 cruise passengers. In the January-November 2023 period, outside the top 5 ports with the highest number of cruise ships, a total of 212 cruise ships and 177,806 cruise passengers arrived at other ports. For the first time since 2017, Samsun welcomed 2 cruise ships in November."

Bodrum's last ship of the season has arrived

The last planned passenger ship for the 2023 tourism season arrived in Bodrum, a district of Muğla. The Bahamian-flagged Seabourn Encore, with a length of 180 meters and a width of 28 meters, brought 543 passengers from Çesme Port to Bodrum. The cruise ship, which docked at the Docking Pier, has a total of 543 passengers and 428 crew members, mainly consisting of Americans and Britons. The ship will depart for the Greek island of Symi during the night hours. It was reported that Seabourn Encore is the last passenger ship of the year 2023.

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