Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy introduced the Van Tourism Master Plan within the scope of his visit to Van. Minister Ersoy Van Tourism Master Plan
Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said, “We will continue to transform our country’s potential into works, services and benefits. “As a tourism country with tourism activity in 81 provinces for 12 months, we will place Turkey among the leading countries and ensure that it is permanent,” he said.
Minister Ersoy, who came to Van to participate in the programs, visited the governor’s office. He received information about the investments and works in the city from the Governor and Deputy Mayor of the Metropolitan Municipality, Ozan Balcı.
VAN TURİZM MASTER PLAN LAUNCH
Later, Ersoy attended the “Van Tourism Master Plan Launch” organized in cooperation with the Van Governorship, Metropolitan Municipality and Cappadocia University at a hotel in the city, and said that Van brings with it a serious potential in terms of tourism with its ancient past, and that by evaluating this in the most accurate way, it provides the city and people with the highest possible service. He said that they are trying to provide benefits.
Explaining that when it comes to provinces, municipalities are the most important stakeholders with their wide areas of authority and responsibility, Ersoy stated that, as the ministry, they insistently request the municipalities to prepare a “Provincial Tourism Master Plan”.
VAN AFTER SAMSUN
Emphasizing that these studies will be the basis for the success to be achieved in spreading tourism to 12 months and 81 provinces, which is one of the most important goals, Ersoy said:
“We launched our first master plan with Samsun Metropolitan Municipality on March 13. I was very pleased to see that Van, along with Samsun, is leading the way in this field. Provincial Tourism Master Plans are shaped at the end of an intense process. This is a study that must be carried out meticulously in order to yield results. In a state of constant communication and consultation, efforts are made to establish common sense and come up with the most accurate and complete plan. I would especially like to point out that this process is carried out with scientific methods under the management of a large staff of academicians who are experts in their fields. Because none of our work is done to save the day. “We strive to shape the future today.”
“A DETAILED TOURISM ROUTE HAS NOW BEEN DRAWN FOR OUR CITY”
Noting that they had to determine correct and rational targets in the light of concrete data in order to achieve success, Ersoy said that in line with the strategic goals and objectives in the Turkey Tourism Master Plan, 47 policies, 16 priority areas and 10 comprehensive areas that should be implemented in line with these for Van’s future in tourism. He stated that the project has been determined.
Ersoy stated that, when viewed from the general framework, the need for effective tourism management, a strong infrastructure, attractive products and effective promotion is required for sustainable and competitive growth, and continued as follows:
“Using the entire cultural heritage of the province, from the Urartians to the Old City of Van, for a tourism movement spread throughout the province, making Lake Van, which also has a Blue Flag award-winning beach, a greater center of attraction with entertainment, sports and adventure recreations, from gastronomy to health and winter tourism.” Steps such as offering a product range extending to tourism have been prepared.
I can say that with the Van Tourism Master Plan, a detailed tourism route has now been drawn for our city. For 2027, the total number of visitors, including local and foreign, is expected to be 2 million 175 thousand, and the total income amount is expected to be 494 million dollars. “Hopefully, we will walk this path together and achieve all these goals.”
Stating that, as the Ministry, they want to use the existing potential for all cities in the best way, and to constantly move the targets further within the framework of sustainability by preserving the gains achieved, Ersoy said that the Provincial Promotion and Development Boards, which they established to carry out these works in integrity at the local level, carry out their activities under the chairmanship of the governors and with the participation of the stakeholders in the provinces. He said he continued.
“WE WILL PUT VAN ON THE WORLD SHOWCASE”
Stating that the unity established by the boards has given a serious acceleration to the branding processes of the cities, Ersoy said, “Because the institutional budgets allocated for the promotion of the provinces have been used effectively and effective and result-oriented promotional activities have begun to be carried out from a single center. “As a ministry, in the national and international arena, we are taking steps to build Turkish tourism spread over 81 provinces and 12 months, with very comprehensive work on three pillars that we have determined: promotion, product and market diversity and qualified tourists,” he said. Minister Ersoy Van Tourism Master Plan
Stating that Van is one of the destinations that attract the most foreign tourists in the Eastern Anatolia Region, Ersoy said:
“In order to strengthen and further develop Van’s position, we carry out international brand communication activities and organize hospitality events under the umbrella of TGA. We plan to host a total of 16 people, including 8 press members and 8 influencers, in two special events that we will organize within the scope of the Turkey Culture Road Festival, which will be held in Van between 29 June and 7 July. The Turkey Culture Road Festival, which we started in Istanbul in 2021, is now held in 16 different cities in 7 regions. Van is now one of the cities that will host this festival, which has been accepted as a member of the European Festivals Association. “From its gastronomy to its cultural assets, from its natural beauties to its historical heritage, we will showcase Van as a part of Turkey’s largest culture, art and tourism brand.”
“WE CONTINUE TO PROMOTE AND EXPLAIN VAN IN 10 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES”
Reminding that digital platforms and social media are the most powerful tools to reach large audiences recently, Ersoy gave the following information:
“This is the reality behind hospitality events in our country. However, our activities in this field are not limited to just hospitality. We continue to introduce and explain Van’s historical and touristic places, nature, music and authentic atmosphere, gastronomy and routes in 10 different languages through GoTürkiye, which is the leader among the official tourism promotion platforms of the countries today. In 2023, Van posts made on GoTürkiye social media accounts reached 5.7 million views. Van’s cultural assets on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List, including Akdamar Church, Van Castle and Van Historical City and Mound, are included both on our UNESCO page and on our UNESCO routes, and they are introduced and explained in 10 languages. “In order to increase the number of visitors to our GoVan website, which is prepared in English for our foreign target audience, and to promote our city, we conducted advertising in 47 countries through the Google Display Network between January and December 2023 and reached 63 million impressions.”
Expressing that they continue their culture-tourism investments in Van without slowing down, Ersoy said that in terms of cultural assets, the maintenance and repair work of Akdamar Island, the restoration of Hoşap Castle and the lighting work of Van Castle are being carried out meticulously.
Ersoy said, “Just like in the Turkey Culture Road Festival, we are including Van in “Heritage to the Future”, one of the most important projects of our history in terms of culture tourism, and added that with “Heritage to the Future”, they have opened the door to a new era in this field and that Turkish archeology is a golden age. He emphasized that they started the era of Minister Ersoy Van Tourism Master Plan
“TODAY, TURKEY IS A PIONEERING AND EXAMPLE COUNTRY IN THE WORLD WITH ITS ACCOMMODATION FACILITIES”
Stating that Van will be one of the actors of this era and that they will revive the Old City of Van with the work they will carry out in three branches: archaeological excavations, restoration and landscaping, Ersoy said:
“This project will be a great gain for both Van and Turkish tourism and will offer a serious added value to our city. The increase in facility and bed capacity is also an important indicator in terms of understanding the progress Van has made in tourism, where 103 agencies operate today. In 2002, the number of accommodation facilities with operating licenses was 10 and the bed capacity in these facilities was 1239. As of March 2024, the number of accommodation facilities with operating licenses increased to 77 and the bed capacity in these facilities increased to 6 thousand 122. The number of people staying in these facilities increased from 97 thousand to 336 thousand people. Today, Türkiye is a leading and exemplary country in the world with its accommodation facilities. We further reinforce this leadership with our internationally approved Sustainable Tourism Certification Program. Van has started to do its part at this point. As of March 25, 4 facilities across Van received Stage 3 Certificates and 63 facilities received Stage 1 Certificates. All of these are the result of the change and development experienced in Van. “The ongoing work today and the projects to be implemented with the Tourism Master Plan will open the door to a new era for Van.”
Emphasizing that very important studies have been carried out in the field of tourism and that a great development has been experienced in the country, Ersoy concluded his words as follows:
“When we look at Turkey today, it offers more than 60 product varieties, has ensured market diversity, trains its own qualified personnel starting from high school age, carries out the world’s most effective and intense promotional activities and the world’s most intense archaeological activities, and with all these, it has become the choice of qualified tourists. We see a tourism country that has started. We have carried our country to today with all our stakeholders. That’s why we know we can do more. We will continue to transform our country’s potential into products, services and benefits. “As a tourism country with tourism activity in 81 provinces for 12 months, we will place Turkey among the leading countries and ensure its permanence.”
OZAN BALCI: APPROXIMATELY 1 MILLION TOURISTS ARE COMING TO OUR CITY TODAY
Governor of Van and Deputy Mayor of the Metropolitan Municipality, Ozan Balcı, said: “Approximately 1 million tourists come to our city today. Security is very important in tourism. Peace, trust and well-being prevail in our city… We can see our guests and fellow citizens on the streets of Van until the night hours. “Although our police and gendarmerie provide security, the real success belongs to our fellow citizens of Van,” he said.
