“SOFT POWER: TOURISM AND FOREIGN RELATIONS” PANEL HELD AS PART OF THE 4TH TÜRSAB TOURISM CONGRESS

The 4th TÜRSAB Tourism Congress hosted the “Soft Power: Tourism and Foreign Relations” panel on the second day of the program. The panel, moderated by researcher and author İhsan Aktaş, featured Erkan Mumcu—Minister of Culture and Tourism in the 57th Turkish Government and Minister of National Education in the 58th Turkish Government—and academic Prof. Dr. Deniz Ülke Kaynak as speakers.

The panel addressed topics such as the effects of the global political climate on tourism activities, the sectoral implications of Türkiye's “effective neutrality” policy, and the importance of the country’s image as a marketing tool. It emphasized that tourism serves as a peaceful actor and an alternative power rooted in human freedom during interstate crises. The session, which thoroughly examined tourism’s role as a strategic, diplomatic, and cultural “soft power” and its impact on foreign relations, concluded with high attendance.