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Türkiye’s cruise tourism sector saw a historic surge in the first eight months of 2025, welcoming nearly 1.5 million passengers across 18 ports, marking the highest figure in 12 years, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said Thursday.
Ersoy shared the figures on his social media account, highlighting that the increase also reflects a rise in cruises using Türkiye as their main port, which translates into longer stays by foreign visitors.
“From January through August 2025, we are experiencing historic growth in cruise tourism. Nearly 1.5 million passengers visited our 18 cruise ports, the highest in the past 12 years,” Ersoy wrote.
He said the growth boosts not only tourism revenue but also the economies and cultural life of port cities. Popular destinations now include Istanbul and Kuşadası, along with emerging routes in Çanakkale, Sinop, Trabzon, Samsun and Marmaris. Galataport Istanbul is a key contributor to the sector’s success.
The number of cruises increased 17% to 878 this year from 753 in 2024, Ersoy said, while passenger numbers rose 56% over 2023 and 18% over 2024. August alone saw a record monthly high of 357,646 passengers.
Ersoy also thanked the Transport and Infrastructure Ministry for supporting the sector, adding that Türkiye’s rise in cruise tourism will continue under the “Century of Türkiye” vision. “Türkiye has become not just the Mediterranean’s but the world’s most attractive cruise destination,” he said.
