Antalya exported 460 luxury yachts around the world in 20 years

2020-08-08 08:08 AM
Economic News

Antalya exported 460 luxury yachts around the world in 20 years

Zaki Gorsas, director of the Free Zone in the southern Turkish state of Antalya, said the state has produced 460 luxury yachts sold worldwide in the past 20 years.

In the first six months of this year, the total trade volume in the city's free zone increased by 12% year-on-year from $351 million to $392 million, he said.

Yachts manufactured in the Antalya Free Zone have received orders from several countries, including Italy, the United Kingdom, the United States, Russia, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman, with sales of $1.2 billion, Gorsas told Anadolu Agency.

According to him, of the 83 companies in the free zone, 56 are with local capital and 45 are in the yacht sector.

Yacht manufacturing in the free zone began in 2000 and since then Turkey has moved to the third place in the world in the production of luxury yachts, after Italy and the Netherlands.

Gorsas said production began in the early years with the construction of yachts up to 30 meters (98 feet) long, and the total length of the 460 yachts, all of which are 866 meters (28,346 feet).

Noting that Antalya manufacturers plan to deliver 35 luxury yachts this year, Gorsas said that contrary to initial expectations, the outbreak of the coronavirus has increased demand for luxury yachts.

He added that many requests have been received recently, and that the region is also producing coastal safety boats, pointing out that luxury yacht owners have begun to buy commercial boats to support their yachts, and these support vessels have begun to be produced in the region.