Strategic Support from Muğla Metropolitan Municipality and GEKA to Muğla's Yacht Manufacturing Sector

Muğla Metropolitan Municipality is launching a comprehensive study to make the sectoral potential of Muğla, one of Turkey's important centers in yacht manufacturing and marine tourism, more visible and to develop future-oriented strategies. The project supported by GEKA will address the yacht manufacturing sector with a holistic approach for the first time.

The study, coordinated by Muğla Metropolitan Municipality's Directorate of Foreign Relations and Directorate of Smart City and Urban Information Systems, will conduct a detailed analysis of the current structure of the sector, map the value chain, and develop policy recommendations. The research to be carried out across Muğla will particularly focus on the districts of Bodrum, Milas, Marmaris, and Fethiye. For the project planned to last six months, GEKA will provide technical support of up to 500,000 TRY. The Entire Sector Will be Examined&The study will evaluate the yacht ecosystem under three main headings: supply chain, production, and service. All components of the sector, from composite materials to metal systems, from electrical-electronic equipment to yacht manufacturers, and from sales and charter services to maintenance and repair activities and marina management, will be analyzed.

A comprehensive company inventory will be created by examining chambers of commerce and industry, chambers of maritime commerce, sectoral associations, and trade registry records. Fieldwork will involve interviews with at least 10 yacht manufacturers, 20 suppliers and service providers, and 10 representatives from public institutions and sectoral organizations.

A Roadmap for the Sector Will Be Created

At the end of the project, a comprehensive value chain map revealing the current status of Muğla's yacht manufacturing sector will be prepared. The study will identify the sector's strengths, challenges, and areas for development; it will also assess export capacity, innovation opportunities, technology use, and digital transformation needs. Outputs of the consultancy process will include in-depth interview analyses, sector evaluation reports, policy recommendations, and visual field documentation. The data obtained is aimed to contribute both to local governments' planning processes and to regional development policies.

Mayor Aras: "We Will Reveal the Sector's Potential with Scientific Data" The President of the Coastal Municipalities Union and Muğla Metropolitan Municipality, Ahmet Aras, commented on the project as follows: "Muğla is one of our country's most important centers in yacht manufacturing and marine tourism. However, a comprehensive study that reveals all stakeholders, production capacity, and economic impacts of the sector has not been carried out until now.

With this project, we will evaluate our sector with a data-driven approach, concretely revealing its strengths and development opportunities with solid data. Our cooperation with GEKA is of great importance for achieving our regional development goals. The results we obtain will contribute both to our municipality's planning efforts and to the decision-making processes of relevant institutions. At the same time, it will support strengthening Muğla's national and international position in the yachting field."