Strong Messages and New Goals from President Eresin at the 25th TÜROB Ordinary General Assembly

The Association of Turkish Hoteliers (TÜROB), one of Türkiye's most well-established tourism professional organizations, held its 25th Ordinary General Assembly Meeting with broad participation at the Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul. At the event, Minister of Culture and Tourism Mr. Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Istanbul Chamber of Commerce President Mr. Şekib Avdagiç, and THY Domestic Sales President Mr. Aşkın Cantimur addressed the attendees.

Speaking at the opening of the General Assembly, TÜROB President Müberra Eresin stated that, with the strength they draw from the sector's past, they look to the future with confidence, and she shared with the public the new term's goals, calls for cooperation, and the vision of sustainable development in tourism.

"TÜROB, with 54 Years of Deep-Rooted Experience, Is in a Guiding Position"

Beginning her speech by thanking TÜROB's founders and past executives, President Eresin emphasized the importance of institutional memory and values, saying, "The presence among us today of one of our esteemed founders, Mr. Demir Sözmen, once again shows how strong the sense of belonging under this roof is." She stated that TÜROB is not merely a sectoral association but also a structure that shapes the vision of Turkish tourism and plans the future.

"Sectoral Solidarity and Public-Private Cooperation Are Vital"

President Eresin said that challenging periods such as the pandemic and the earthquakes had laid bare how resilient and united the sector is. Noting that the close cooperation established during this process with public institutions, above all the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, played a major role in the recovery of the tourism sector, she said, "This strong solidarity displayed in times of crisis is the foundation of our looking to the future with hope."

2025 Goals and the "Expensive Country" Perception

Stating that, together with the visionary approaches of Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, a strategy focused not only on the number of tourists but on the spending power of incoming tourists has been adopted, Eresin said, "Focusing on quality rather than quantity is the key to strengthening our country's brand value." Announcing that, following the 62.3 million visitors and 61.1 billion dollars in revenue achieved in 2024, the target for 2025 is 65 million tourists and 64 billion dollars in revenue, she underscored that the "expensive country" perception, particularly in the European market, must be managed with the right policies and that the exchange rate must be balanced.

"In Tourism, Investment, Employment, and Quality Are a Whole"

Drawing attention in her speech to the sector's multiplier effect, Eresin said that tourism is a giant economic area that directly affects 54 sectors. "Today in Türkiye, tourism investments exceeding 90 billion dollars are not merely buildings; they are also a matter of employment, education, and development. With our workforce exceeding 1.5 million, we contribute to Türkiye's social fabric," she said.

"We Are Taking Lasting Steps in Education: The TÜROB 50th Anniversary High School"

Touching on the education project that she described as one of TÜROB's most meaningful investments in the future, Eresin reported that the "TÜROB 50th Anniversary Şişli Tourism Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School" had been opened in cooperation with the Ministry of National Education. "This school is not just a building; it is an academy that builds the future of our sector. Our greatest gain is that our students are trained here in direct contact with our sector," she said.

"The Fight Against Unregistered Operations Must Be Strengthened"

Touching in her speech on the inspection processes launched following the fire in Kartalkaya, Eresin emphasized that as a sector they are open to inspections; however, she called for the vested legal rights of businesses to be respected and for the inspections to focus on unregistered, unlicensed operations: "The informal economy is not only unfair competition; it is also the greatest obstacle to service quality and tourist satisfaction."

"TÜROB Guides the Sector in Digital and Green Transformation"

Stating that the steps TÜROB has taken on topics such as sustainability, digitalization, and artificial intelligence set an example at the international level, Eresin said, "With our Green Transformation projects, we are spreading environmentally conscious tourism practices; with digitalization-focused solutions, we are increasing efficiency and the customer experience."

Thanks and Closing

At the end of her speech, thanking all the institutions and business partners that provided support, Eresin extended her special thanks to the contributions of institutions such as Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Istanbul Governor Davut Gül, İTO and TUGEV President Şekib Avdagiç, Turkish Airlines, ECOLAB, Perapole.com, Teknikkart, and Çırağan Palace Kempinski. Plaques of appreciation were presented, on behalf of Ralph Radtke, General Manager of the host organization Çırağan Kempinski Istanbul, to the hotel's Director of Human Resources and Risk Management and concurrently Chair of the TÜROB Human Resources Committee, Haluk Ertan, and to Technical Card Sales and Marketing Director Banu Karpat.

There Was Broad Participation

The attendees included AK Party Adıyaman Member of Parliament and TÜROB Member Assoc. Prof. Dr. Resul Kurt, Istanbul Deputy Governor Mehmet Sülün, Istanbul Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism Hüseyin Keskin, Istanbul National Education Branch Director Tamer Kamber, İTO Board Member and TUGEV Acting President Bahadır Yaşık, İBB Tourism Platform Director B. Ümit Öztürk, the presidents and representatives of TÜRSAB, TUREB, İRO, LASİAD, ETÜDER, TÜRKODER, and SKAL Istanbul,  ICVB General Manager Cemil Hakan Kılıç, consuls and foreign mission representatives from Bulgaria, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Montenegro, Kosovo, and Greece, TÜROB's former presidents Sinan Babila and Timur Bayındır, TÜROB Founding Member Demir Sözmen, TÜROB Board Members, and, above all, the teachers and students of the TÜROB 50th Anniversary Şişli Tourism Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School, as well as numerous public institution officials, presidents and executives of NGOs operating in the sector, TÜROB members, guests, and members of the press.

About the TÜROB General Assembly:

The 25th Ordinary General Assembly was held with the participation of TÜROB Member hotel managers from all over Türkiye, sector representatives, public authorities, and representatives of educational institutions. The meeting, at which the new term's goals were addressed, was an important platform where sectoral solidarity and strategic roadmaps were also put on the table.