Emrah Yılmaz Çavuşoğlu, Chairman of Camelot Maritime, announced that Turkey experienced significant growth in cruise tourism during the first quarter of 2025. In January and February, the number of cruise ships and passengers reached record-breaking levels.
In February 2025 alone, the number of ships increased by 220% to 16, while the number of passengers soared by 509.3% to 29,826. With 1.89 million cruise passengers visiting Turkey in 2024, the goal for 2025 is to exceed 2.5 million.
New Routes and Growing Interest
Çavuşoğlu stated that new cruise routes including the Greek Islands and Egypt have been added to the program starting in 2025. He highlighted the increasing interest in the Eastern Mediterranean and Aegean regions. Cruises departing from Sochi have also gained momentum, attracting not only Russian tourists but also visitors from Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Lithuania.
Investment and Sustainability
Çavuşoğlu said that 2025 and 2026 will be investment-focused years for the industry. With interest rates declining, an increase in investment activity is expected. Ensuring winter cruise operations, revitalizing Black Sea routes, and enhancing international promotion were noted as key steps for sustainable sectoral growth.
Goal: Making Turkey a Cruise Tourism Hub
Emphasizing Turkey’s strategic location and rich historical and cultural heritage, Çavuşoğlu said the country has great potential to become a cruise tourism hub. He pointed to the advantages of modern ports like Galataport Istanbul and historic destinations like Kuşadası. Camelot Maritime aims to position Turkey as the cruise capital of the Mediterranean by focusing on customer satisfaction and innovative services.
