A Functionwise Examination of the Cruise Ports in Turkey: The Case of Kusadasi

Singapore 29th Business, Economics, Social Sciences and Humanities (2017), Singapore, Singapore, 8 - 09 March 2017, vol.3, no.29, pp.14

BESSH- March 08-09, 2017

Singapore

ISBN: 978-969-683-392-5

International conference on ?Business, Economics, Social Science & Humanities?-BESSH 2017

A Functionwise Examination of the Cruise Ports in

Turkey: The Case of Kusadasi

Cengiz Kahraman*

İstanbul University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of

Maritime Transportation Management Engineering, İstanbul

Abstract

Crusing is a recently developing tourism type incorporating several

recreational functions. Generally speaking, it is based on the idea of visiting

predetermined destinations and having holiday during the trip. Lately, it has

globally taken huge leaps and become an in despensible part of sea tourism.

Accordingly, it has deveoped in Turkey as well. The Kuşadası Port is

among the prominent ports of cruising. Recently, it has become Turkey's

biggest port and come to solely serve cruise tourism as a result of the

functional developments in the region as of 1960s. The port is located on

the northern part of a headland extending into the sea from the middle of the

Gulf of Kuşadası. One of the reasons for the vast interest of tourism

agencies in the port is the presence of historical and religional places such

as Ephesus, St. Mary's House, St. John's Cathedral, Miletus, Priene. The

examination of Turkish ports serving cruises reveals that services offerred at

these ports fall short of satisfying the need of cruise tourism. Globally,

cruise ports boost their appeal with many social and cultural activities and

facilities. It is very important for the promotion of Turkey and the

development of tourism in Turkey to operationalize the ports with historical

and cultural potential, especially in the Aegean and Mediterranean Regions.

This study offers an overview of the cruise ports in Turkey and makes

suggestions to upgrade cruise tourism to a satisfactory level by disclosing

historical development, functionality, and problems of the Kuşadası Port,

the most preferred port in Turkey.

Keywords: Kuşadası, Transportation, Cruising, Geography, Operating

*All correspondence related to this article should be directed to Dr. Cengiz

Kahraman, İstanbul Üniversitesi, Bilimsel Araştırma Projeleri Birimi,

Beyazıt/İstanbul.

Email: cengizck@hotmail.com