By
Michele Witthaus |
New measures to make the eastern Mediterranean more attractive to cruise lines were announced by both Turkish and Greek ministers at Seatrade’s 2nd Winter Cruising Forum in Istanbul on 6 December.
In a move designed to attract more cruise traffic, Turkey’s minister of transport, Marine Affairs and Communications, Binalı Yıldırım, announced reductions of up to 50 per cent in some port and service fees for cruise ships calling at Turkish ports from January 2012. He said that the reductions represented US$10m in financial support for the cruise sector by the Turkish Government. Yıldırım said the country’s tourism strategy through to 2023 would involve the redevelopment and expansion of ten cities and nine cruise ports, plus four new airports and new road and transport infrastructure. He added: “We have a climate that is conducive to cruising 365 days a year, especially in the Aegean, and we hope our announcements will assist this.”
George Nikitiades, Greek deputy minister of culture and tourism, used the forum to announce the lifting of Greece’s unpopular cabotage restrictions. An amendment to the 2010 cabotage law on non EU-flagged vessel home porting means that visiting ships no longer need to enter into a contract with the Greek state for home porting in the country. Greek deputy minister of development, competitiveness and shipping Adonis Georgiades told delegates that the new law was with the cabinet and was likely to be passed by 20 December.