By the mid-2010s, the gulet had begun retreating to the back pages of tour operator catalogues. Catamarans were winning on speed, comfort and price. Modern motor yachts offered interior standards no gulet deck could match. Operators cut prices, the fleet aged, demand thinned. A familiar story: a classic form beginning to outlive its function. Then, between 2023 and 2024, something shifted — and it came from an unexpected direction.
Where Did the Demand Come From?
To understand the gulet's revival, you have to look first at who is asking for it. The demand isn't coming from the traditional gulet customer — large family groups, budget-focused parties. It's coming from a profile that previously chose luxury motor yachts or boutique hotels: guests aged 35 to 55, high income, well-travelled, and newly aware that the kind of travel they've been doing no longer satisfies them.
These guests share a complaint: they're seeing the same thing everywhere. The same marinas, the same restaurants, the same photographs. The gulet offers something different at precisely this point — slow passage, less time ashore, morning tea at anchor, the movement from cove to cove as the experience itself. Not speed, but depth.
Choosing a gulet is no longer a budget decision — it's a decision to slow down. And those making that decision are an increasingly discerning profile.
Has the Gulet Changed?
Both yes and no. The traditional wooden gulet form is preserved — the vessel's silhouette, deck layout and stern platform are still recognisable. But the interior has undergone a serious transformation over the past five years. In newly built and thoroughly refitted gulets, air conditioning standards, cabin dimensions and bathroom quality are now competitive with many motor yachts. In some upper-segment gulets, details like a sound system, deck jacuzzi and a chef's aft galley are becoming ordinary expectations.
More importantly, gulet operations have changed. Crew quality, culinary presentation and the attention given to the guest experience have advanced in ways that are incomparable to the pre-2020 standard. This was partly driven by post-pandemic market pressure: operators who survived either raised their standards to remain competitive, or closed.
What Do the Numbers Say?
Gulet occupancy rates in the Bodrum-Göcek-Marmaris corridor exceeded 2019 levels in the summer of 2024 — interpreted within the industry not as "recovery" but as "renewed growth." More striking is that average charter prices rose meaningfully over the same period: demand is both increasing and migrating toward more expensive vessels. These two variables moving simultaneously signals that the segment is undergoing a healthy shift toward premium.
The booking calendar has changed too. Demand that was once concentrated in peak summer has spread noticeably into May and October. Experienced guests are deliberately avoiding high season — they've recognised the advantages of shoulder season for both pricing and cove access.
Where Does the Difference with Catamarans Land?
The choice between a catamaran and a gulet is no longer a technical comparison — it's a question of holiday philosophy. The catamaran offers wide saloon space, low roll and speed — a sensible choice for large family groups and those who prioritise water sports. The gulet foregrounds deck culture, the texture of wood, and the rhythm of slow sailing. Trying to sell both to the same customer is usually pointless: these are different people looking for different things.
This divergence has a positive outcome for the market: the gulet no longer has to compete with the catamaran on price. It meets its own guest, in its own segment. And that guest, in 2026, is drawing an increasingly clear profile: someone who knows how to travel, has chosen to slow down, and treats time spent on the deck as the real experience.
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