Türkiye’s cruise tourism sees best July in 12 years

ISTANBUL

Türkiye’s cruise tourism recorded its highest July passenger numbers in more than a decade, with 326,450 travelers visiting the country’s 18 ports last month — a 3.3 percent increase compared with July 2024.

From January to July, total passenger traffic reached 1.06 million, marking a 19 percent rise year‑on‑year and the strongest performance for the period since 2013.

Türkiye welcomed 1.89 million passengers in 2024 and has set its sights on reaching roughly 2.5 million by the end of 2025, marking a bold push to boost visitor numbers.

Industry representatives say that if the current momentum continues through the rest of the year, Türkiye is well‑positioned to reach its 2025 target.

According to data from the Transport and Infrastructure Ministry’s Directorate General of Maritime Affairs, 675 cruise ships docked at Turkish ports in the first seven months of 2025, bringing over 1 million passengers — up from 577 ships in the same period last year.

The ports handling the most passengers during the first seven months were Kuşadası with 516,930 passengers from 316 cruise calls (up 20 percent year-on-year), Istanbul with 301,124 passengers from 127 cruise calls (16 percent), Bodrum with 67,547 (10 percent), İzmir with 52,087 (9 percent) and Marmaris with 22,571 (7 percent).

While overall foreign tourist arrivals dipped, cruise travel bucked the trend. Türkiye welcomed 28.4 million foreign visitors between January and July — a 2.1 percent drop from the same period in 2024, according to the latest official data.

Cruise passengers represent a higher-spending segment, with estimates suggesting they spend an average of $200 per day during their stay.