THE “CENTURY OF TOURISM” PRESS CONFERENCE WAS HELD IN ANTALYA WITH A LARGE TURNOUT
The Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB) is carrying out the second phase of its “Tourism Century” project—launched to spread tourism across every city in the country and throughout all 12 months of the year—in Batman and Şırnak, in collaboration with and under the mentorship of the Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality. As part of the program scheduled for May 3–8, 2026, search conferences, press launches, and informational tours involving travel agencies will be organized to highlight the region’s tourism assets.
Speaking at the Tourism Century Press Conference held as part of the 4th TÜRSAB Tourism Congress, Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality President Ms. Fatma Şahin emphasized the region’s potential in faith, culture, and gastronomy, stating, “We must transform these values into a source of wealth.” Şahin stated that they had presented the project to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and received full support, adding that the region must be promoted on a global scale.
Sharing the project’s vision, TÜRSAB Board of Directors President Mr. Firuz Bağlıkaya noted that despite Türkiye's rich variety of offerings, tourism remains focused on specific cities. Stating that the Gaziantep model will be adapted to other cities in the region, Bağlıkaya said, “It is important for tourism activities to be distributed evenly across our other cities.”
Speaking at the meeting, Hasankeyf District Governor Mehmet Ali İmrak emphasized that the historic district of Hasankeyf awaits visitors with its new face, noting that the region’s 12,000-year-old history is being preserved.
The Batman and Şırnak phase of the “Century of Tourism” project aims to bring the region’s unique cultural heritage and tourism values to the sector with a global vision.
