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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.

A new tax for tourists in Barcelona: 'We want respectful tourism'

In Spain, protests against mass tourism continue due to its impact on rising rents. Meanwhile, in Barcelona, an additional tax is planned for tourists arriving by cruise ship. Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni announced that the tax collected from tourists who stay in the city for less than 12 hours via cruise ships will be increased. Collboni emphasized that day-trippers do not benefit the city and that they aim for a type of tourism that respects the city. Speaking to El Pais, Collboni mentioned that cruise passengers currently pay a daily tax of 7 euros and stated, "We will propose a significant increase in the tax for cruise passengers who make short stops." Collboni added, "When cruise passengers stop for less than 12 hours, public spaces are heavily used in a way that does not benefit the city, creating a sense of occupation and saturation. We want tourism that respects the destination." The mayor called for local projects, such as installing air conditioning in schools, to be financed not by taxpayers' money but through taxes paid by tourists. Although he did not provide details on how much the tax would be increased, Collboni noted that the proposal must be approved by the Catalan regional government. In recent weeks, there have been large-scale protests against mass tourism in Spain's tourist cities, as well as in Mallorca and the Canary Islands, due to the rise in rents for short-term rentals causing a housing crisis. Another demonstration is planned for this evening in Palma de Mallorca. Last month, the Barcelona City Council decided to completely ban the rental of homes to tourists until 2028.

Giant tourist ship with 845 passengers arrives in Samsun

The cruise ship Astoria Grande, which is making its 6th visit to Samsun in the 2024 tourism season, docked once again. Tourists shopping in Samsun's stores also explored the city's natural beauty, history, and cultural richness. The ship will depart for Trabzon in the evening and is scheduled to make 43 more trips to Samsun this season.

The Cruise Sector Will Grow Until 2028

Concerns Over Overtourism Expected to Fuel Cruise Sector Growth Until 2028 The cruise sector is on track to significantly increase its passenger numbers, expecting to carry more passengers by 2028 compared to the 31.7 million recorded in 2023. This growth is occurring as the industry recovers and surpasses pre-pandemic levels. Marie-Caroline Laurent, the European Director of the International Cruise Lines Association (CLIA), announced that 57 new cruise ships have been ordered in addition to the current fleet of approximately 300 ships to meet the anticipated demand. In response to environmental concerns and in compliance with EU maritime regulations set to take effect by 2030, cruise companies are modifying their ships to use electricity instead of highly polluting marine fuel when docked at ports. However, the sector's expansion is not without challenges. Protests against overtourism have emerged in popular European destinations, most recently in Barcelona, where demonstrators targeted tourists with water guns. According to CLIA representatives, Barcelona, the largest cruise port in Europe, accounts for only 4% of the city's total tourist visits. Despite this, Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni has expressed his intention to negotiate a new agreement with the port to reduce the number of day-trip stops by cruise ships. Laurent from CLIA highlighted the potential impact of these protests on future cruise itineraries, suggesting that adjustments could be made to ensure passengers are well-received. She indicated that the industry might focus on expanding cruise vacations to Asia, Northern Europe, the Caribbean, and alternative Mediterranean ports. While the World Travel and Tourism Council predicts Spain's tourism revenue will approach €100 billion in 2024, up from 2019, the cruise sector forecasts a modest 5% increase in visitors to Spain. This figure is significantly lower than the overall summer tourism growth expected by Spanish officials.

Cruise tourism in Samsun: 57,000 more tourists will come with 44 voyages

In the 2024 tourism season, approximately 57,000 more tourists will visit Samsun with a total of 44 planned cruises. According to information obtained from the Samsun Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, the 2024 tourism season in Samsun started quickly in terms of cruise tourism. In May, June, and July, the Russian-flagged cruise ship Astoria Grande docked in Samsun five times. Each voyage brought approximately 1,300 Russian tourists to Samsun Port. In the upcoming period, a total of 44 planned voyages will bring around 57,000 tourists to Samsun. Accommodation plans are being made Astoria Grande passengers, who typically arrive in Samsun on Thursdays, enjoy exploring both Samsun and Vezirköprü Şahinkaya Canyon, which is included in their tour program. Plans are being made for tourists to stay in Samsun starting from next year. According to information from tour operators, Russian tourists can find all kinds of products in clothing, footwear, kitchenware, and home textiles stores in Samsun. They express great satisfaction with the city's natural beauty, historical and cultural richness, and especially the hospitality of the local merchants. Russian guests, who say they feel at home, prefer having Samsun on their cruise routes. Tourists who shop a lot do not miss the chance to swim at the beaches. They show great interest in our gastronomic delights such as the geographically indicated Bafra pita, Çarşamba pita, and nokul. Tourists, who are very pleased with the tolerant and hospitable behavior of the local people, say they act like ambassadors of Samsun when they return to their countries. The city's commercial businesses and sectors are also very pleased with this situation. They hope that the number of voyages will be increased and continued.

Cruise Tourism Brings Economic Transformation

Speaking ahead of Maritime and Cabotage Day, Emrah Yılmaz Çavuşoğlu, Chairman of Camelot Maritime, stated, "Our country is attracting the attention of the entire world. In 2023, we managed to reach 1.5 million cruise passengers, and we expect this number to reach 2 million tourists in 2024." Turkey has gained significant momentum in cruise tourism in recent years, and the technical development of its cruise ports is attracting global interest. The rise in Turkey's cruise tourism, combined with the country's stunning natural beauty and rich historical heritage, has made it an important tourist destination. Emphasizing the significance of Maritime and Cabotage Day, celebrated as a national holiday on July 1, Emrah Yılmaz Çavuşoğlu highlighted that Turkey has become an attractive destination for cruise companies and passengers. Çavuşoğlu stated, "Improvements in port infrastructure and investments in tourist sites are enhancing Turkey's competitiveness in the international cruise market, further strengthening its potential in the tourism sector." "We Will Stand Out with Cruise Tourism" Emrah Yılmaz Çavuşoğlu, emphasizing the improvements in port infrastructure and investments in tourist destinations, highlighted that these contribute to increasing our country's competitiveness in the cruise market and sustainable tourism development. Predicting that the number of passengers, which was 1.5 million in 2023, could reach 2 million in 2024, Çavuşoğlu stated, "The number of cruise reservations made to Turkish ports has exceeded 1,400 so far. In 2023, this number was around 1,200. It is expected that the number of reservations will reach 1,600 in the coming months. Ships with capacities ranging from 1,000 to 5,500 passengers dock at Turkish ports. We expect the number of passengers, which was 1.5 million in 2023, to reach 2 million in 2024." Gürbüz Can, General Manager of Camelot Maritime, reminded us of the importance of not forgetting our sailors during these days of celebrating Cabotage Day. He said, "With the entry of new and large cruise ships after the pandemic, it is expected that 1.5 million seafarers will be employed at sea by 2025. Turkish tourism workers have a great potential, especially for the growing cruise and mega yacht sectors. However, we still haven't resolved the international travel issues for our professional sailors. Visa issues for seafarers are causing us to receive a smaller share of the growing employment pie. Unless this issue is resolved, Turkish maritime industry will lag behind. In line with the importance of Cabotage Day, it is essential that we find solutions to the problems faced by our sailors."

Major Expansion for Celestyal Cruises in 2025: New Routes and Increased Capacity

Innovations and Expanded Itineraries Starting from the winter season of 2025, Celestyal Discovery will begin operating in the Arabian Gulf, joining the Celestyal Journey. The Discovery will offer short and long itineraries from Abu Dhabi, traveling to Doha, Sir Bani Yas Island, Fujairah, Muscat, and Khasab from November to March. Additionally, the Celestyal Journey will be based in the region for three years, starting tours from Doha and covering Khasab, Dubai, Sir Bani Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, and Bahrain. The Adriatic program will also be expanded, offering additional sailings in 2025 and 2026 covering Greece, Croatia, Montenegro, and Italy. The Celestyal Journey will continue to provide 7-night itineraries in the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas. Celestyal’s Vision and Goals Lee Haslett, Celestyal’s Chief Commercial Officer, stated that the decision to expand their programs was driven by increasing demand and high guest satisfaction. With 86% of guests expressing a desire to cruise with Celestyal again, this was a significant factor behind the expansion. Haslett mentioned, “We aim to replicate our success in the Greek Islands and the Mediterranean in the Arabian Gulf.” About Celestyal Celestyal Cruises is an award-winning cruise company that operates year-round, offering unforgettable travel experiences in the Greek Islands, Adriatic, and Arabian Gulf. The company, which provides extraordinary travel experiences to its guests, operates two ships, each with a capacity of 1,260 passengers, and hosts over 100,000 passengers annually from more than 130 nationalities.

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.

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