Illegal charters damage yacht tourism in Turkey

Illegal charters damage yacht tourism in Turkey © TYBA

The increase in the number of private yachts offered for commercial yacht charters cause concern in yacht charter industry and damage the yacht tourism as these vessels have no sufficient insurance for guests, and do not comply with the safety standards of commercial boats. Besides, these vessels avoid paying tax to the Government.

Some private yachts that are not much used by their owners are offered for charter by unlicensed agents or sometimes by their captains mainly through social media platforms. In many instances such arrangements end up with many problems on client end, like bad service quality on board, unprofessional crew, yachts without safety standards and even sometimes last minute cancellations.

One of the subjects discussed during a recent meeting between Turkey's Yachting & Brokers Association (TYBA) and Turkey's Chamber of Shipping (IMEAK DTO), was to find permanent solutions to eliminate unlicensed yacht charters in the country.

One of the proposals discussed was holding captains responsible of such illegal charters and even blocking yacht captain license for some period in coordination with Turkey's Ministry of Transport. The other proposal is following the transit log changes of foreign flagged private yachts by the port authorities which shall give a hint if the yacht is used for charter or not.

The biggest problem is the identifying process of these illegal charter yachts because the owners or the captains of the non-commercial yachts generally defend themselves in the same way; claiming that the passengers are their "friends" or "friends of the boss" and there is no money involved in the cruise, i.e. a private tour, and in many cases it is hard to prove that commercial activity involved.

Gunes Aysun, the president of TYBA (Turkey's Yachting & Brokers Association) says that "Struggling with illegal yacht charter issue is one of the primary purposes of the Association for protecting Turkish yacht tourism and also for all yacht charter professionals.

TYBA is also encouraging charterers and agents to choose the vessels that are registered to TYBA as the Association puts high standards in Turkish yacht charter industry. Even TYBA completed the first fixed charter agreement in Turkey after a long and intense work on it for the members. So registered yachts are going to use the Association's new charter agreement and have to comply with the Association's criteria. Also charterers can find a respondent to speak to if they have any problems related to their cruise when they charter with TYBA registered yachts.

TYBA (Turkey's Yachting & Brokers Association), Turkey's most prominent Yachting & Brokers Association representing the majority of Turkish commercial yachting industry, has 84 members comprised of yacht brokers, charter brokers, yacht operators and yacht agents. The combined TYBA fleet consists of about 500 gulets, commercial motor-yachts, sailing yachts.

www.tybaturkey.org