Turkey’s leading commercial cargo and cruise port, QTerminals Antalya, welcomed around 10,000 tourists from 12 luxury cruise ships in the first 9 months of this year.
Antalya, which welcomed more than 14 million tourists by air during the same period, is becoming a popular stop for tourists choosing cruises – the so-called “floating hotels”, characterized by high level of comfort.
General Director of QTerminals Antalya Port Huseyin Sipahioglu told Anadolu that the port contributes to the city’s tourism industry through maritime transport.
According to him, by the end of the year the number of cruises will reach 16, and next year it is planned to increase the number of ships to 25-30. “We believe that Antalya should become a stopover for more cruises,” he said.
Increasing investment to attract cruises
Sipahioglu emphasized the importance of Antalya as a tourist destination and noted that the number of tourists arriving on cruises should increase.
For the port to become an attractive tourist destination, Active investment work is underway. The port aims to “breathe new life into maritime tourism,” Sipahioglu said.
He added that there are plans to increase the number of cruises in the future. “With the support of international consulting companies, we are committed to transforming Antalya into a full-fledged cruise destination. In order to improve passenger comfort, we are planning large-scale visual and structural improvements in the terminal halls. These innovations will make the port more modern, functional and attractive for cruise guests. By 2027-2028, we plan to increase the number of cruises to 50-60,” he said.
Sipahioglu also noted that for the further development of cruise tourism, the port is cooperating with the governor of Antalya, travel agencies and all industry stakeholders.