The closing ceremony of the 24th National Tourism Congress, hosted by Kastamonu University with the main theme of nature tourism, was held on 20 September 2024 at the Istiklal Road Conference Hall of the Faculty of Tourism of our University.
Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Nadir Alpaslan, Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Hamdi Topal, Rector of Kayseri University Prof. Dr. Kurtuluş Karamustafa and Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Ömer Küçük, as well as representatives of various public institutions and tourism sector, academicians and private sector representatives attended the closing ceremony of the congress.
The congress, which brought together academics, tourism professionals, and industry representatives from all over Turkey, hosted important discussions and suggestions for the future of tourism.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, the Dean of the Faculty of Tourism Prof. Dr. Alptekin Sökmen emphasised that tourism should be supported by sustainability and innovation. Dean Sökmen stated that the topics discussed during the congress will contribute to Turkey's becoming more competitive and innovative in the tourism sector and that such scientific events are of great importance for the tourism sector.
Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Nadir Alpaslan emphasized the need to further increase Turkey's tourism potential. He stated that with Turkey's rich cultural heritage and natural beauty, cities such as Kastamonu have an important place in tourism.
Alpaslan stated that tourism is of great importance not only for its economic contributions but also for cultural interaction and promotion. He expressed the necessity of academia and the sector to work in cooperation to provide more sustainable and quality tourism services. He also expressed his appreciation for the congress's suggestions for solving the current problems in the field of tourism and stated that he cares about the contributions of such events to the sector.
During the three-day congress, sub-themes such as ‘Management and Sustainability in Nature Reserves’, ‘Wildlife Tourism and Biodiversity Conservation’, ‘Local Communities and Nature Tourism’, ‘Role of Technology in Nature Tourism’ and ‘Climate Change and Nature Tourism’ were discussed. In the program, which was enriched with various panels, presentations, and discussions, leading names of the sector and academicians shared their views on the current situation and future of tourism.
In his speech at the closing ceremony, Congress Chairman Prof. Dr. Osman Eralp Çolakoğlu stated that the congress drew attention to Turkey's important issues in the field of tourism. Thanking the participants for their contributions, Çolakoğlu emphasized that such events make important contributions to the advancement of developments in the sector.
At the end of the closing ceremony, the chairmanship of the congress was handed over to Prof. Dr. Oktay Emir, a faculty member at Anadolu University Open Education Faculty. The 25th National Tourism Congress was decided to be held at Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University.
The closing ceremony ended with the presentation of plaques to the participants and a souvenir photo.
