Turkey records highest cruise ship and passenger numbers in May 2026

Turkey's Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu reported that in May 2026 a total of 169 cruise ships visited Turkish ports, a 14.2% increase over the same month in 2025, carrying 257,897 passengers, up 10.8% year‑on‑year. For the January‑May period, 324 cruise ships arrived, 2.2% more than the previous year, and 455,580 passengers were recorded, a 3.9% rise.

Kuşadası port saw the busiest activity, with 75 ships and 127,670 passengers in May, making it the leading cruise‑passenger hub with 189,141 passengers in the first five months of 2026. Istanbul ports handled 31 ships and 59,176 passengers, while Bodrum received 11 ships and 10,889 passengers, and other Turkish ports collectively accounted for 52 ships and 60,162 passengers.