Speaking about the Çeşme Tourism Project, which has been brought back to the public agenda in İzmir, the President of the İzmir Chamber of Shipping, Yusuf Öztürk, stated, 'Çeşme has no future in its current state. I am not from Çeşme, but I am someone who lives in Çeşme. It is not possible to grow tourism with just a two-month season.'

In his speech at the June council meeting, Yusuf Öztürk argued that Çeşme cannot be a sustainable tourism center with its current structure.

Sharing his views on the Çeşme Tourism Project, which has recently been reintroduced to the public agenda, Öztürk pointed out that the issue is being managed under the responsibility of Mahmut Özgener, the President of the İzmir Chamber of Commerce, in terms of institutionalism. He said, 'I can personally say that Çeşme has no future in its current state. I am not from Çeşme, but I am someone who lives in Çeşme. It is not possible to grow tourism with just a two-month season.'

Öztürk expressed that the perception of Çeşme as an expensive destination harms the region, stating, 'Yes, everyone may agree that it is expensive, but it is not possible to create a strong tourism movement by only targeting high-income groups. While Antalya hosts 19-20 million tourists a year, İzmir is only talking about one million tourists, which is a situation that needs to be considered.'

'IT'S HARD TO COME TO İZMİR'

Emphasizing that one of İzmir's biggest problems in tourism is transportation, Öztürk stated that the lack of direct flights hinders the city's growth. Citing his trip to Romania as an example, Öztürk said, 'To go from İzmir to Romania, you first have to go to Istanbul. We travel a two-hour distance in 12 hours. It is said that there are no passengers, but you first need to create passengers. We have one of the most modern airports in the world, but there are not enough international flights from İzmir.'

A COALITION FOR CRUISE TOURISM HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED

Öztürk noted that İzmir's cruise tourism is on the rise again, stating that the efforts they have been making for years are yielding results. He said, 'We have done everything we can regarding cruise tourism. There was not only a commercial side to the job but also a tourism aspect. For a long time, we felt alone in this regard, but now a strong collaboration has emerged in the city. Thanks to this unity, we will achieve much better results.'

'THE FUTURE OF İZMİR PORT SHOULD BE A COMMON AGENDA'

Touching upon İzmir Alsancak Port, Öztürk stated that the recent geopolitical developments have once again highlighted the importance of maritime trade. He said, 'The developments in the Strait of Hormuz show how quickly energy transportation, insurance costs, and freight prices can change. The risks in maritime trade must now be part of daily planning. In such an environment, I must say that the most important issue for İzmir is the future of Alsancak Port.'

'ALSANCAK AND ALİAĞA ARE NOT COMPETITORS'

Recalling that a new era has begun in the operation process of Alsancak Port, Öztürk stated that operational efficiency, infrastructure investments, and sustainable management models are coming to the forefront. Öztürk continued, 'The biggest advantage of Alsancak Port is its proximity to İzmir's production centers. This advantage will further increase its competitiveness in the future. It is not correct to see Alsancak Port and Aliağa as competitors. Aliağa has a different scale and cargo structure. Alsancak stands out with its proximity to its hinterland. The question that needs to be asked is how these two structures can be strengthened together.'

Öztürk pointed out that İzmir is not only a port city but also a strong logistics center, stating, 'When planned correctly, Aliağa's growth will create a significant multiplier effect in İzmir's economy. However, Alsancak Port also continues to maintain its strategic importance.'

Sharing data related to the sector, Öztürk announced that the number of cruise passengers in the first five months of 2026 has increased by 10% compared to the same period last year, reaching 257,000. He noted that Kuşadası hosted 129, Istanbul 66, and İzmir 26 cruise ships, adding that a positive trend has also been observed in container transportation.

Source: SeaNews Türkiye