MEDIA

05 Jul 2011

University of Florida Students Admire the Success of Ege Ports

42 International Business Development students have visited and studied The Port of Kuşadası, which has achieved record successes
42 students, studying International Business Development at the University of Florida which is one of the most esteemed educational institutions of the USA, visited Turkey to study the success of The Port of Kuşadası (“Ege Ports”), where Global Liman İşletmeleri has made a total investment of 18.5 million dollars since 2003 to create one of the most successful and modern gateway to Turkish tourism. The students admired the success model of the port further to the investments, port operations, facilities and dock extension projects. The Port of Kusadasi is scheduled to receive 628 cruise calls with 773.750 passengers this year.
The success of Global Ports Holding is recognized on international scale and make the three main cruise ports of Turkey, respectively Ege Ports (The Port of Kuşadası), Port Akdeniz (Antalya Commercial and Cruise Port) and Bodrum Port the leading stars of the Turkish tourism further to the investments for modern infrastructure systems. 42 students from the International Business Development department of the University of Florida, providing education at a region hosting several marinas and cruise ports including the Port of Miami, have visited Kuşadası to study the success model of Ege Ports and get further information about the organization and the projects of the cruise port. The students, together with 2 academic members, came with Royal Caribbean Cruises’ ship the Navigator of the Seas to attend to the conference held by Global Ports Holding’s Marketing Director, Figen Ayan and other representatives. The students have received information about the investments the rapid growth, the port operations and facilities but also about the pier extension project finalized in June 2011. The students expressed their happiness and admiration when evaluating the achievements of The Port of Kuşadası. This activity was such a success that students from the same university visited Kuşadası Port in 2009 too for the same purpose.
We have become a pioneer in port business
Ege Ports Managing Director Aziz Güngör expressed his pride in seeing the Port of Kusadasi’s success accepted by students coming from a region specialized in marina and cruise management and added “ We realize that Global Ports Holding has brought a brand new dimension to the port business in Turkey through the 3 ports the company operates but thanks to events like students’ visit we also see that our reputation crosses overseas and reaches international arenas; we are not only contributing to the Turkish tourism, but are becoming a pioneer and leader on international port businesses. It is a true pride to hear from the students of the University of Florida that the Port of Kuşadası Port is a success model.”
Record increase in the number of the cruise calls and passengers
Further to the privatization of the Port of Kusadasi in 2003 and the transfer of its operation to Global Ports Holding the number of calls and passengers has steadily increased every year. It is expected that the annual number of the cruises will increase to 628 at the end of 2011, while it was only 300 before the privatization. It is also expected that the annual number of the passengers will increase from 250 thousand to 773 thousand at the end of 2011. The total investment made to the port has reached 18.5 million dollars and, within the scope of the investment, the terminal building has been expanded and a small shopping mall has been added.
Awards and Recognitions
In parallel to its investments, Ege Ports has received several esteemed awards including “The Best Cruise Port in Turkey” by Golden Anchor, Skalite Best Turkish Port of the Year by Skål, Kusadasi Cruise Port was also featured in Lloyd’s Cruise International Magazine (August/September issue), where it was referred to as being one of the fastest-growing ports in the sector. Additionally, CLIA also recognized Kusadasi Cruise port, which was the first port in Turkey to be fully ISPS (International Ship and Port facility Security) compliant, as Best Port in the World in Security and Safety Services. Recently, Ege Ports has been nominated in “World’s Leading Cruise Port” and “Europe’s Leading Cruise Port” categories in World Travel Awards 2011, the world’s most prestigious tourism and travel awards, which had also nominated Ege Ports in Europe’s Leading Cruise Port in 2010 awards.