BLACK SEA OPENS UP TO THE WORLD WITH Cruise TOURISMCruise tourism continued its growth in Turkey without slowing down in 2024. Following the effective evaluation of the touristic potential in the Mediterranean and Aegean ports, the Black Sea also began to stand out as a new center of attraction for cruise tourism. Camelot Maritime Board Chairman Emrah Yılmaz Çavuşoğlu said, “We are activating the tourism potential of the Black Sea with our Astoria Grande cruise ship. Cruise tourism in the Black Sea had come to a halt due to the Russia-Ukraine war. Now, with Astoria Grande, we are trying to respond to the increasing demand by reviving tourism in this region,” and drew attention to the rapid rise in cruise tourism, which had come to a standstill after the war.Turkey stands out as a tourism paradise with its natural and cultural riches, and is known as the “chimneyless industry” thanks to the contribution of tourism to the economy. The country’s historical sites, cities, forests and seas make a significant contribution to the economy. Cruise tourism, a rapidly growing branch of sea and port tourism in particular, draws attention with the potential it offers. In 2024, cruise tourism gained great momentum in the Black Sea as well as in the Mediterranean and Aegean ports. Black Sea cruise tourism, which almost came to a standstill due to the negative effects of the Russia-Ukraine war, was revived this year thanks to the Astoria Grande cruise ship operated by Camelot Maritime. Cruise tourism in the region has become increasingly popular with trips organized to the ports of Samsun, Sinop and especially Trabzon.Tourism in Black Sea Cities Revived Even More with Our Cruise TripsWith the revival of cruise tourism, there has been a significant increase in the number of foreign tourists coming to the cities on the Black Sea coast with cruise ships. Camelot Maritime Chairman of the Board of Directors Emrah Yılmaz Çavuşoğlu said, “We organize cruise trips between the Black Sea ports and Russia, and thanks to this, the number of foreign tourists coming to the cities in the region is rapidly increasing. This movement both increases tourism revenues in port cities and revives cruise tourism in the Black Sea. There is a high demand for cruise tourism in the region and we are responding to this demand with our Astoria Grande ship. We organized 12 trips between Russia and Trabzon in the first 9 months of the year and as a result, there was a record 154% increase in the number of foreign tourists visiting Trabzon compared to the previous year.”A New Route in Regional Tourism: The Black SeaThe resumption of cruise trips in the Black Sea has significantly increased the number of tourists in the region. Emrah Yılmaz Çavuşoğlu stated that they aim to ensure that cruise tourism develops in the Black Sea as well as in the Mediterranean and Aegean Sea, and said, “Our country has a great potential for sea and port tourism. However, this potential has been used less in the Black Sea compared to other regions. The war in the north of the Black Sea weakened tourism in the region. Now, we aim to contribute to our country’s tourism revenue by organizing trips between our cities in the Black Sea and the cities of other countries bordering the Black Sea with our cruise ship. We plan to increase our trips next year and evaluate the potential of cruise tourism in the Black Sea that will be as good as the Mediterranean and Aegean.” he said.The Region’s Potential is Being Discovered with New TripsÇavuşoğlu, who stated that they aim to carry the tourism success of the Mediterranean and Aegean coasts to the Black Sea, said, “Our country has a great potential in sea tourism and we are working to bring this potential to life in the Black Sea. “The Black Sea has a great treasure in terms of tourism with its natural beauties, historical riches and cultural heritage. However, this potential has not yet been fully discovered. Cruise tourism offers an important opportunity that will increase tourism revenues in the region and contribute to local economies. “With the voyages we carry out with our Astoria Grande ship, we aim to make the touristic attraction of the Black Sea more accessible to both local and foreign tourists.”
