The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) projects 2007 will mark the beginning of a golden era for luxury cruise travel, with demand surging through 2009. Some 12 million passengers sailed on cruise ships in 2006, most of them American.
Joint surveys by CLIA and Carlson Wagonlit Travel forecast that cruise passenger numbers will climb to 32 million within three years. The Mediterranean, which ranked among the top 10 cruise destinations the previous year, has risen to fourth place, benefiting coastal nations including Türkiye.
Kerem Kofteoglu, president of the Association of Tourism Journalists and Writers (TUYED), noted that rising demand has accelerated shipbuilding, with eight new vessels set to launch in 2008 and two more entering service in 2009.
Kofteoglu also pointed to a separate indicator of growth: Türkiye's Ministry of Culture and Tourism raised its US promotional budget from 4 to 7 million dollars. Last year 515,000 Americans visited Türkiye, and officials believe that figure could double in 2007.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in January 2007, in its own words.