President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently announced that the major renovation of the Galataport project in Istanbul will be operational by April.
During the launch of a cinema museum and refurbishment of a historical theatre, the president said: “Galataport is a worldwide project with the potential of drawing 25 million visitors, 7 million tourists and 1.5 million cruise passengers.”
The president went on to say that regardless of the coronavirus pandemic and conditions, it brought 350,000 passengers on 200 cruise ships that have already made bookings this year to drop anchors at Galataport. Erdogan commented and stated: “I already believe that this interest will rise fivefold next year.” He also added that Turkish holiday bookings are booming, saying: “From every place that is lifting or easing travel restrictions, reservations for our country are booming.”
What will the Galataport offer?
Istanbul’s Karakoy district is where the port project is to be located, with the area said to have various art exhibitions, luxury hotels, boutique stores, restaurants, a state-of-the-art cruise terminal, cafes, and even office spaces. The cruise terminal will be complete with a port space that will be able to provide services for the largest vessels in the world, a passport and check-in area, as well as large waiting areas for travellers.
The Galataport project is being built at an investment of 1.7 billion USD in Turkey. The aim of the port is to rank amongst the top cruise destinations in the industry, with this being referred to as one of the largest coastal projects worldwide.
Culture Road Project
The monumental Istanbul Cinema Museum and Atlas Cinema, located along the famous Istiklal Avenue, are part of the Turkish Culture Road project that spans from Galataport to Taksim Square and joins the cultural venues in the area, which will include the Ataturk Cultural Center and the Galata Tower area.
President Erdogan also confirmed that the Taksim Mosque in Istanbul will open next year during Ramadan, the Muslim holy month. The mosque will also have a culture and arts exhibition centre with library where they will be able to host displays and traditional art workshops from around the world.
Cameron Deggin 
Founder & CEO, Property Turkey
Cameron Deggin is Founder and CEO of Property Turkey. A former finance professional and FCCA-qualified accountant, he founded the company in 2001 after recognising Turkey’s investment potential. With more than two decades analysing Turkish real estate, Cameron regularly advises international investors and is quoted by media including the Financial Times and BBC.
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