Ankara Tourism Association Unveils New Vision to Boost Capital’s Tourism Potential
Ankara, 15 April 2026 – The Ankara Tourism Association (ATD) has publicly shared its new vision, aiming to reposition the capital’s historical heritage, rich culture, and gastronomic potential within a contemporary tourism understanding. The announcement, held at the Erimtan Archaeology and Art Museum, addressed goals and a transformation vision to strengthen Ankara’s role in tourism.
Ankara: A Cradle of Civilizations Ready for Global Stage
Erhan Karakaya, Ankara Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism, highlighted Ankara’s ancient status as a critical hub that has hosted numerous civilizations over the centuries. Karakaya noted that since assuming his role, significant steps have been taken to develop tourism, yielding substantial gains.
Karakaya drew attention to Ankara’s preparations to host international organizations. “After approximately 32 years, Turkey will host the NATO Heads of State Summit. We are continuing our preparations to host over 40 heads of state,” he stated.
Emphasizing the robust tourism infrastructure of the capital, Karakaya assessed, “We have the capacity to host this. With our accommodation infrastructure, service infrastructure, and transportation infrastructure, we are in a position to host guests perhaps even better than Istanbul.” He also noted that the activation of the airport metro would significantly contribute to Ankara’s tourism and urban transportation, underscoring the capital’s strong potential in cultural, health, and congress tourism.
Karakaya stressed that tourism development is not limited to public investments, but rather progresses with the contributions of the private sector and stakeholders, with industry representatives taking a guiding role and public institutions taking necessary steps accordingly.
“Let’s Grow This Journey Together”
Berker Bülbüloğlu, Founding President of ATD, stated that Ankara possesses significant tourism potential and that the association was established to make this potential more visible and elevate the capital to its rightful place in tourism. He added that the association aims to unite tourism stakeholders around a common vision, strengthen cooperation, and contribute to Ankara’s national and international promotion.
“The step we are taking today is not just a beginning. It is a determined march towards Ankara’s rightful place in tourism. Let’s grow this journey together. Let’s make Ankara a more visible, stronger, and more inspiring destination together,” Bülbüloğlu urged.
As part of the event, musician Pınar Ayhan presented “Ankara, the Queen of Cities,” a presentation detailing Ankara’s historical development from ancient times to the present. The Ankara Dance Ensemble also performed during the program.
Source: haberturk.com
