Türkiye needs to invest more in marinas to boost capacity

Türkiye needs to invest more in building additional marinas along its coasts as insufficient capacity leads to a spike in the cost of mooring boats, according to the representatives from the industry.

The total capacity of around 25 to 30 marinas in Türkiye is around 6,500 berths, said Murat Bekiroğlu, the president of the Yacht and Boat Industry Association (YATED).

However, there are 16,000 boats in the country, which put a strain on the marinas' capacity.

As the marinas lack enough capacity to harbor boats, the cost of mooring a 42-meter-long yacht for a night in the popular holiday destination Göcek has leaped to 1,200 euros, whereas it costs half of it at around 650 euros in Monaco.

"We need to increase the capacity," said Bekiroğlu, calling for more investments to boost the capacity.

"Supply is short, and demand is high… so, prices have skyrocketed."

He noted that a 20-meter boat can stay in Bodrum, another tourist hot spot in Türkiye, for 700 euros, whereas it can be moored for 35 euros in Greece.

More and more travelers are showing interest in Turkish bays, and this heightened demand makes it difficult for boats to find a space at the marinas, Bekiroğlu said, adding that marinas are becoming prohibitively expensive for some boat owners.

"Many boats are going to nearby countries… Türkiye's bays have turned into 'boat parks'… The biggest threat to our boat and yacht industry is marinas' insufficient capacity and rising prices," he said.

Capacity needs to be increased by at least 50 percent very quickly, according to Bekiroğlu.

Tourists traveling on boats and yachts send some 2.5 times higher than regular tourists, he said.

"Maybe, some billionaires cannot visit Türkiye because of...