A "Sustainable Tourism Panel" was held at the Şevket Aşçı Tourism Faculty of Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU) in Bafra district, Samsun, as part of the Tourism Week programs. The panel discussed the benefits of sustainable tourism and emphasized its importance. Samsun Governor Orhan Tavlı, who spoke at the event, highlighted the significance of sustainable tourism and thanked those involved in the field, drawing parallels with their experiences at the Troy Museum in Çanakkale.

Rector Yavuz Ünal: “As much as we own and care about our own existence, we should also embrace sustainable tourism”

OMU Rector, Prof. Dr. Yavuz Ünal, stated during his speech at the panel, "Underlying sustainability is freedom. The more respectful you are to the values handed down from the past, the more you know what you possess, the more you can produce, and the more you can sell stories to people. Tourism is such a thing. It is essential to protect original values. We must embrace sustainable tourism as much as we own and value our existence to sustain it. We must leverage our unique regional competitiveness in tourism."

Rector Ünal also noted that OMU hosts over 6,200 international students from 116 countries and has provided international trade education to about 200 students abroad. He stressed the strategic importance and location of universities and suggested that students should conduct consumption analyses of their cultures.

Mayor Doğan: “Our desire is to carry Samsun even further in this regard”

The Mayor of Samsun, Halit Doğan, expressed a desire to advance tourism further in Samsun, highlighting collaborative efforts with NGOs and business leaders. "Sustainability is crucial in tourism and all aspects of human life. By doing significant work, we hope to increase this awareness, better educate our children, and make life more comfortable and livable for them," said Mayor Doğan.

“There are attraction centers for sustainable tourism in all 17 districts”

Prof. Dr. Yetkin Bulut, Dean of the OMU Faculty of Tourism, commented, "Sustainability is a philosophy of life. Samsun has significant advantages in sustainable tourism. All 17 districts of our province have attractions related to sustainable tourism."

The panel was organized in cooperation with Cappadocia University and Ondokuz Mayıs University. Prof. Dr. Bulut added that the Samsun Tourism Master Plan includes a special section dedicated to sustainable tourism, noting that the province has a competitive advantage over rival destinations due to its water quality, wastewater treatment facilities, number of Blue Flag beaches, and industrial consolidation in organized industrial zones (OSBs). "It is crucial for the local administrators to prioritize tourism, as it significantly affects our province's share of tourism revenues. We are fortunate in this regard," he concluded.

The panel also featured contributions from Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Bahar from Cappadocia University, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murad Alpaslan Kasalak from Akdeniz University, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mutlu Kaya from OMU's Faculty of Tourism.

The event was attended by Samsun Governor Orhan Tavlı, Mayor Halit Doğan, district governors, and the faculty's academic and administrative staff and students.