Following the board of directors meeting, the agenda of the tourism sector was discussed during a working lunch hosted by TÜROFED, which was attended by Minister of Culture and Tourism Ertuğrul Günay, Undersecretary İsmet Yılmaz, Deputy Undersecretary Özgür Özaslan, General Manager of Promotion Cumhur Güven Taşbaşı, Deputy General Manager of Investment Enterprises Zeki Can, and Chairman of the Board of Controllers Fikri Kolenoğlu.
Minister of Culture and Tourism Ertuğrul Günay stated that they have conducted a beneficial study with TÜROFED, saying: "Because our colleagues take great care to work with a very productive sense of cooperation and solidarity regarding the problems of the tourism sector. We also continuously obtain productive results from this approach. Within the framework of this close cooperation, Turkey also appears to have resolved the problems and difficulties caused by the recent ash issue originating from Iceland in an exemplary manner. While this issue leads to various complaints and even expectations of unfair gain in other countries of the world, Turkey, through the solidarity within the Turkish tourism sector, has handled this problem in a way that can carry our country's image positively in the world. As a ministry, we are following the issues that TÜROFED has included in its agenda, ranging from infrastructure service unions to energy support. We will work together in the coming days to achieve positive developments on these matters. One of our fundamental issues is the enactment of the basic law for an institutionalization that will bring together the important major components of the tourism sector under one roof. We have reached an important point on this matter. The studies conducted within the framework of a regulation that will bring together investors and operators together with travel agencies are approaching a point of maturity. We have shared our legislative preparation with TÜROFED. If our colleagues reach a consensus in a very short time, we will also endeavor to bring the matter to the Council of Ministers. I believe that the establishment of such an umbrella organization will provide opportunities for developing the vision of Turkish tourism, creating resources for the promotion of our country, and conducting cooperation at higher levels in other areas. Our goal is to ensure that this law is enacted within the legislative studies of the period before the election."
TÜROFED President Ahmet Barut, stating that they were very pleased with the participation of Minister of Culture and Tourism Ertuğrul Günay and ministry bureaucrats in the working dinner organized following TÜROFED's ordinary board meeting, emphasized that the meeting was extremely effective and successful. Noting that they conduct such events periodically as TÜROFED, Ahmet Barut said, "Because we are not just an institution that voices problems. In this meeting, we shared the current issues of tourism with our minister and other officials, and this meeting was very useful before the season.
We shared our agenda items, such as the disruptions resulting from the disruption of air traffic due to the volcanic eruption in Europe, the acceleration of efforts to bring the Turkish tourism sector under a single umbrella, and certain problems in our regions, with our minister and ministry bureaucrats."
Emphasizing that in these meetings, they strive to contribute to the future of the country's tourism by creating an environment where expectations are clearly stated mutually, and by creating synergy through information sharing and idea generation, Ahmet Barut spoke as follows: "Both the sector and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism have reached a common ground regarding the draft law containing the sectoral umbrella structure. We now expect this to be implemented during this legislative period. For this purpose, we believe that the conditions are appropriate."