Murat Bekiroğlu

Mooring fees at Turkish marinas have soared three-fold in a year to 80,000 Turkish Liras ($2,645), the president of the Yacht and Boat Industry Association (YATED) has announced, stressing that docks are currently full.

Türkiye's influence on the yacht sector continues to expand as the country has both become a top destination for the most famous mega yachts in the world and a yacht production hub that exported $500 million worth of yachts this year.

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).

Boating vacations, which in previous years appealed to a narrower audience in the summer season, continue to grow with the effect of daily rental models, thanks to the increasing isolated vacation habits after the pandemic.

This season, the increase in demand from those who want to vacation by renting a boat draws attention. Göcek Gulf has an important place again as the first route.