Ankara Named Turkic World Tourism Capital for 2026
Ankara Named Turkic World Tourism Capital for 2026
The closing ceremony of the 10th Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Tourism of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) was held in the garden of the Ethnography Museum in Ankara. During the ceremony, OTS Secretary General Ambassador Kubanychbek Omuraliev delivered a speech.
Expressing his pleasure over the decision to designate Ankara as the “Turkic World Tourism Capital” for 2026, the Secretary General emphasized his belief that this decision would significantly contribute to the joint efforts to promote the shared cultural heritage of the Turkic world.
In addition to the Secretary General, the Republic of Türkiye’s Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, and other senior officials also delivered speeches. They highlighted Ankara’s rich historical heritage, developed infrastructure, and symbolic significance.
They underscored that this title offers a unique opportunity to widely promote Ankara’s heritage across the Turkic region.
Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy described Ankara as “one of our distinguished cities that reflects the collective memory of the Turkic world with its rich heritage stretching from Gordion to Anıtkabir, from the Roman Baths to CSO Ada Ankara, along with its museums, art institutions, and cultural diversity.”
He continued, “This ancient capital rising in the heart of Anatolia will now be not only the showcase of Türkiye but also the cultural and tourism showcase of the entire Turkic world.”
Ersoy emphasized that throughout 2026, Ankara will be explored together and that the values the capital holds will continue to be shared with brotherly nations.
The closing ceremony was attended by high-level representatives from OTS member and observer states. Participants also visited the exhibitions inside the Ethnography Museum.
The event concluded with a concert by the Turkic World Music Ensemble.
SOURCE: VEDAT KURT