The 49th Tourism Week, which was held at Kastamonu University this year, ended with a panel titled “A Multifaceted View of Tourism” on April 18, 2025. The panel discussed many topics, from agricultural tourism to rural development support and from nature tourism practices to field guidance.
The panel, held in the İstiklal Yolu Conference Hall of the Faculty of Tourism and moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gülizar Cengiz, was attended by the Dean of the Faculty of Tourism, Prof. Dr. Burhan Sevim, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aydoğan Aydoğdu; the Coordinator of the Agricultural and Rural Development Support Institution (TKDK) Kastamonu, Ahmet Kuyulu, the Chief of Ilgaz Mountain National Park, İklim Çavuş Kara; and many academics and students.
Delivering the opening speech of the panel, Dean Prof. Dr. Burhan Sevim thanked the participants, saying, "This panel, organized on the occasion of Tourism Week, will be both a source of knowledge and inspiration for our students."
Giving the first speech with his presentation titled "Lavender Farming and Its Use as a Tourist Attraction," Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aydoğan Aydoğdu shared with the audience the contributions of lavender production, which has gained significant interest in recent years, to Kastamonu. Aydoğdu emphasized that lavender farming is both a sustainable and environmentally friendly activity, highlighting that this form of production is a strong factor in the economic and touristic development of Kastamonu.
Following Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aydoğdu, TKDK Kastamonu Coordinator Ahmet Kuyulu, informed the participants about the grant supports offered for rural tourism. Kuyulu stated that the Kastamonu Provincial Coordination Office has provided approximately 24 million Euros in grant support to a total of 495 projects in various fields to date. Stating that large-scale cattle breeding facilities have been brought to Kastamonu, especially in the field of livestock, Kuyulu said that as of 2024, 15 accommodation facilities with Tourism Operation Certificates and a capacity of 258 rooms have been established and that this number is aimed to increase in the coming years.
In the final session of the panel, Ilgaz Mountain National Park Chief İklim Çavuş Kara evaluated the application areas of nature-based tourism in her presentation titled "Nature Tourism Practices and Field Guiding."Kara introduced Ilgaz National Park and provided information about the tourism activities carried out in the region during the summer and winter seasons. Kara, who touched on the contributions of nature tourism, which has been gaining importance in recent years, to Kastamonu, provided information about the field guiding system.
After the speeches, the panel continued with a question-and-answer session. The event concluded with the presentation of plaques to the speakers and a group photo session.
