The tourism industry is one of the key components of Turkiye's economy. The income it generated climbed to an all-time high of almost 55 billion dollars in 2023. And just this past February saw around a 20 percent jump in the number of foreign tourists arriving in the country, compared to last year's figure for the same month. Well, part of that influx is thanks to the increasing cruise ship arrivals.

The first two months of 2024 marked the highest level of arrivals in more than a decade, as 23 ships docked at eight Turkish ports. That includes the beach resort town Kusadasi along the country's western Aegean coast, which emerged as the busiest when it comes to cruise ship traffic. Turkiye's minister of transport and infrastructure says the country will continue its investments as a way to boost cruise tourism. Last year, the number of cruise ship passengers had spiked nearly 50 percent compared to the year before, surpassing a target set by officials. Overall, Turkiye expects to welcome 60 million visitors and generate 60 billion dollars in tourism revenues by the end of this year.

Strait Talk, hosted by Ayse Suberker, is TRT World’s programme that features in-depth analysis of Türkiye’s role in the world.

Guest:
Alen Lepan
Economy Editor at DailySabah

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