Cruise ships are hitting the Turkish waves again and their passengers a welcome re-addition to the Ports, Businesses & Industries that have relied on this sector for their own sustainability and growth for so long. Ege Port in the Kusadasi region of the Aegean is one of the largest in Turkey and boasts the highest number of anchorages per year, with expectations of 195 dockings this year bringing over 170,000 tourists to the shores.
In 2017 this port saw 126 ships dock with 118,418 passengers aboard, and in the 2018 season (usually between January-October) there were 145 ships. It´s not just good news for Kusadasi though, it´s good news for Turkey as a whole, as there were another 102 cruise ships that docked in other locations within the same period.
The second cruise ship of the 2019 season, the Maltese-Flagged Celestyal Olympia dropped anchor recently in Kusadasi and bought with it 1540 passengers, most of which decided to visit many of the archaeological sites on offer including Ephesus & the House of Virgin Mary. Restaurants / Bars / Café´s and shops were also bustling with activity, which many are hoping will continue long into 2019 & beyond.
Ege Port General Manager Aziz Gungor commented ´Bookings for 2020 are going well and it´s pleasing for the industry to see that big companies have directed their routes to Turkey again´.
The Celestyal Olympia would cruise approximately 60 times and carry 87,000 tourists during the season, and according to Gungor just under 60% of cruise ships last year docking in Turkey anchored in Kusadasi. If the Celestyal Olympia does indeed bring 87,000 tourists, and there are still plenty more ships to dock, then it could be more than a good year!
Gungor also went on to say that ´it is expected that over 70,000 passengers will come with 477 ferry cruises from Greece´s Samos Island´ perfect for the ferry operators and onboard businesses alike.
Kusadasi is an amazing place, a fabulous holiday resort town and a wonderful place to live as it´s so diverse and offers an array of facilities and activities no matter what your preference. Turkish Connextions are specialists here, and if it sounds like the place for you & your dream home, then we´d be delighted to help you settle down here – contact us and let´s see what we can do together.
