‘Floating hotels’ gain popularity in tourism

ANTALYA

Cruise tourism is drawing increasing interest in Türkiye, a country already among the world’s leading tourism destinations thanks to its ancient cities, natural beauty and high-quality services.

Offering a combination of luxury travel and holiday experiences with comfort and a wide range of entertainment options, cruises are becoming a new favorite among vacationers.

In addition to welcoming foreign tourists arriving by cruise ships, the country is also seeing growing interest from domestic travelers who visit multiple destinations aboard what are often described as “floating hotels.”

Cruises allow travelers to visit several cities and even countries without carrying luggage from place to place or changing hotels. The trips make it possible to discover different ports and cultures in a single journey.

Luxury cruise ships equipped with pools, spa facilities, entertainment areas and restaurants offer services comparable to five-star hotels.

According to data from the Transport and Infrastructure Ministry, the number of cruise passengers arriving at Turkish ports reached 2,138,136 in 2025, marking a 13.2 percent increase compared with 2024. The number of cruise ships also rose 15.1 percent year-on-year to 1,375.

Tourism professionals expect even more ships and passengers this year.

Nilda Türe, general manager of a cruise company, said the global cruise industry hosted around 38 million passengers last year, while Türkiye welcomed around 2 million.

Türe said the country set a record in cruise tourism, noting that roughly 1 million passengers arrived at the port of Kuşadası and around 700,000 at Istanbul ports.

“When we look at 2026, there is a serious increase worldwide and growing interest in cruises. When we examine the figures in percentage terms, it is growing faster than many other tourism markets,” Türe said.

She noted that most guests last year came from Germany, Austria and Latin America, adding that visitors often tour Anatolia before continuing their trips to the Greek islands.

Türe said interest in cruises is rising among both foreign and domestic travelers.

“We have nearly 50 percent Turkish guests and this share increases every year. We clearly see this in our 2026 sales. Reservations this year look better than last year. There is strong demand from both domestic and foreign guests, and this is reflected in our sales,” she said.

Ahmet Çetin, head of the Antalya Chamber of Shipping, said cruise ships also call at the ports of Antalya and Alanya.

He noted that 38 cruise ships arrived in the two ports in 2024 and 41 last year, adding that the figure remains low considering Antalya’s tourism potential.

Çetin emphasized that Antalya is an important tourism city and expectations are higher for this year and the coming years.

He added that the new marina built in the Demre district is expected to make a significant contribution to cruise tourism.

“A marina has opened in Demre, the largest in Antalya. It is very well built and there is also a project for cruise ships to dock there. It is located along a key maritime route. The presence of St. Nicholas Church, the ancient city of Myra and Kekova in the region is an additional advantage,” he said.

Çetin recalled that Antalya hosted 45,215 cruise passengers last year, noting that cruise tourists tend to spend more and therefore contribute more to the local economy.

“For this reason, we attach great importance to cruise tourism. The contribution of the sea to the country’s tourism is around 20 to 25 percent. We still have some shortcomings but we are working to address them. Once these are resolved, its contribution will increase further,” he said.