A panel on “Tourism Values of Kayseri” was held at the Conference Hall of the Faculty of Tourism as part of the 48th Tourism Week.

Governor Gökmen Çiçek, our Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. Oktay Özkan and Prof. Dr. M. Hakan Poyrazoğlu, Özvatan District Governor Mine Kurt, Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism Assoc. Prof. Şükrü Dursun, and our Secretary General Prof. Dr. İbrahim Narin attended the panel.

The event started with the opening of the art exhibition on “Meeting of Photography and Marbling: Uzbekistan”.

After the participants visited the exhibition, Uzbek pilaf was served to them. Governor Gökmen Çiçek and our Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Oktay Özkan served pilaf to the students.

Then, a panel on “Tourism Values of Kayseri” started after a moment of silence and the singing of the Turkish National Anthem.

In his speech, Governor Gökmen Çiçek touched upon the importance of tourism faculties, tourist guiding, gastronomy and culinary arts and said: “The students studying at tourism faculties are performing a national duty for this country. Just as this country applauds those, who perform studies in the field engineering and sell products abroad to bring in money from abroad, for their contributions to the employment, it is necessary to thank those working in the tourism sector for their contributions to the economy because I do not know any other sector that contributes so quickly to the employment and so much to a country and a province. In this context, tourism faculties play an essential role in the sector.”

Stating that tourism sector covers the 3.85% of the world’s global budget today, Governor Çiçek said that 1 out of 11 employees in the world works in the tourism sector and efforts are made this year to raise this number to 1 out of 9 people.

Pointing out that it saddens him that many of the students studying at tourism faculties have other sectors in mind, Governor Çiçek continued as follows: “I believe that the faculty of tourism is a place to have an undergraduate education. I see that the students of this faculty are very valuable for this country and will have a very important place in the future. That’s why I’m here with you today.”

Prof. Dr. Kenan Güllü, Dean of the Tourism Faculty, said he was proud to welcome Governor Çiçek at the faculty and celebrated the tourism week of all participants.

Professor Güllü stated that Kayseri is experiencing its golden age and added: “The reason is related to human resource. We have a Governor, a Mayor, a Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism, a university, and sector representatives that focus on tourism sector. I think this description will not be an exaggeration because of this chance.”