Turkey’s southern tourism hub of Antalya has been ranked among the top in global luxury yacht production. In the past 11 years, companies based at the Antalya Free Zone produced 187 yachts and are expecting to finish 20 more by the end of the year.
Zeki Gurses, the general manager of Asbas, the free zone’s operator, said the zone hosts 52 yacht companies. “We are seen as ranking among the top three in the world’s luxury yacht production centers,” Gurses said, without naming other countries. “Last year, the zone produced and sold 19 yachts. This year, we have finished 10 vessels. By the end of the year, the figure will double.”
Yachts produced in Antalya “can be seen in every part of the world,” Gurses said. “As the number rises, the capacity of our companies to take orders increases, too. Those who prefer our yachts include renowned businesspeople, football stars, artists and Arab sheikhs.”
Companies based in Antalya have been selling yachts to “countries that are known for producing yachts themselves,” according to Gurses, who said export destinations include Greece, Italy, the United States and France. “The price tag per luxury yacht may rise to as much as $15 million,” he said. “The price of smaller vessels ranges between $100,000 and $400,000.”
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