The April Assembly of the İMEAK Chamber of Shipping İzmir Branch was held under the chairmanship of Board President Yusuf Öztürk.

Öztürk expressed that the target for cruise ships in İzmir is 1,500, and the passenger target is 2.5 million, emphasizing that the goals for 2026 will be achieved while drawing attention to the inadequacy of marinas.

Öztürk stated, 'The popularity of cruising is increasing every year; according to recent data, 37 million people traveled by cruise worldwide. The expectation for this year is 40 million. Young people are also now preferring cruise ships, as they are more affordable than airplane and hotel prices. Between January and March, we are observing the best three months of the last 16 years in the first quarter of the year. The targets will be easily met in 2026.'

‘OUR CRUISE SHIP TARGET IS 1,500’

President Öztürk noted that the average age of those choosing cruise ships has decreased, saying, 'The popularity of cruising is increasing every year; according to recent data, 37 million people traveled by cruise worldwide, and the expectation for this year is 40 million. Young people are now also preferring cruise ships, as they are more affordable than airplane and hotel prices. We have a target of 1,500 ships and 2.5 million passengers for this year. Between January and March, we are observing the best three months of the last 16 years in the first quarter of the year. The targets will be easily met in 2026.'

‘WE EXPECT A DECLINE IN MARITIME TOURISM’

Emphasizing that they foresee a decline in maritime tourism, Öztürk stated, 'The maritime tourism season has opened, not just for Çeşme but also for Seferihisar, Karaburun, and Kuşadası. Kuşadası used to be a popular destination for Iranians before the war for Nowruz. It used to provide a breather before the season. Unfortunately, this did not happen, and we anticipate that our tourism expectations will decrease by 20%. I recommend that necessary precautions be taken in this regard.'

‘MARINA INVESTMENTS WILL BE MADE IN ÇEŞMEALTI’

On the other hand, Öztürk emphasized the need to increase marina capacity both in İzmir and Turkey, stating, 'There will be marina investments in Çeşmealtı; the tender has not yet been opened, but marina investments are being considered in our region.'

Source: SeaNews Türkiye