Turkey’s Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy is facing public backlash after images surfaced showing him aboard a luxury yacht off the coast of Greece, at a time when the Turkish tourism sector is struggling.
Photos published by the Kısa Dalga new website show Ersoy aboard a 50-meter yacht anchored in the Zea Marina near Athens, reportedly owned by his own tourism company. The vessel, described as a “superyacht” equipped with a jacuzzi, pool and powerful engines capable of speeds up to 34 knots, reportedly costs up to €120,000 a week to rent.
The minister confirmed that he was on the yacht to conduct an interview with columnist Ahmet Hakan. However, critics argue that the trip appears more like a personal vacation than a work engagement.
“While our tourism industry is suffering, the tourism minister is relaxing in Greek waters,” read one widely shared post on social media. Others questioned why the minister would choose a foreign destination over one of Turkey’s many coastal resorts.
Even members of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) voiced discomfort.
“With a war on our border, an ongoing massacre in Gaza and a struggling tourism industry, not to mention a high cost of living, it is deeply disturbing to see photos of ministers vacationing on luxury yachts in the Greek Islands,” veteran AKP figure Şamil Tayyar said in a comment on X.
Ersoy, who amassed his fortune as the owner of a major tour operator before entering politics, has long faced scrutiny over potential conflicts of interest.