Turkish port operator expects rise in cruise passengers

PORTO, Portugal

Global Ports Holding, the world's leading port operator, forecasts a 20% rise in cruise passenger numbers this year in Lisbon, the head of the company told Anadolu Agency.

Chief Executive Officer Emre Sayin said Lisbon Cruise Terminal, which joined the company’s portfolio in 2014, attracted nearly 570,000 passengers last year.

“We expect passenger numbers, which showed a successful performance, to rise 20% in 2020," Sayin said.

Global Ports completed and put its Lisbon investment into action in 2017, he stated.

"We constructed a terminal building with a 14-square-meter indoor area additional to the dock of 1.5 kilometers," Sayin said.

Underlying that Lisbon, Portugal is an important tourism capital, he said the company targets improving the infrastructure of the ports it operates, increasing passenger numbers and bettering customer satisfaction.

The "iconic" cruise terminal building has won a number of awards, including one for "Best Rehabilitation Urban project," he recalled.

"Lisbon Cruise Port has been named Europe’s leading cruise port for the fourth time in a row thanks to its services and improving passenger satisfaction," he said.

"As a result, the number of cruise passengers has increased by more than 10% since the investment was put into use."

Sayin underlined that the company will develop the port's infrastructure as the number of ships and passengers it serves increases.

"We are interested in other ports and destinations in Portugal and want to apply the same model, which we think is very successful," he stressed.

Sayin highlighted that Portugal is a holiday destination that can be visited all year round thanks to its temperate climate and magnificent beaches on the shore bordering the Atlantic Ocean with a total length of 850 kilometers (528 miles).

"It has a very interesting history. When its world-renowned cuisine and hospitable people are added, it is positioned as an important tourism destination in the southwestern corner of Europe," he said.

Global Ports Holding is the world's largest cruise port operator with an established presence in the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Atlantic and Asia-Pacific regions, including extensive commercial port operations in Turkey and Montenegro.

It operates 21 ports in 13 countries, including two commercial and 19 cruise ports.

The company targets to grow twofold in the coming five years while focusing on the Caribbean and Southeast Asia along with seeking opportunities in Portugal..

Global Ports Holding won an auction with an international consortium under a 35-year build-operate-transfer model in 2014.