Department of Tourist Guidance

The Department of Tourist Guidance began its academic activities in the Fall Semester of the 2015–2016 academic year with an initial cohort of 60 students. It is the third department established within the Faculty of Tourism.

Mission

The mission of the department is to train tourist guides who possess in-depth knowledge of Türkiye’s natural, historical and cultural attractions; who respect ethical values; and who demonstrate strong interpretive, communication and service delivery skills. The department aims to prepare graduates who can transform visitors’ experiences into meaningful and memorable moments that go beyond what is written in tour itineraries, and who are able to follow and adapt to innovations in the guiding profession.

Vision

The vision of the department is to strengthen communication and collaboration with the Association of Turkish Tourist Guides (TUREB), the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA), and other relevant tourism institutions and organizations, becoming a well-recognized and preferred higher education unit in the field.

The department also aims to:

• Train qualified academic staff through master’s, doctoral and distance-learning programs to serve in tourist guidance departments,

• Grow not in quantity, but in quality,

• Encourage academic staff to become international tourist guide trainers accredited by the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA),

• Ensure that students become respected professionals—ladies and gentlemen—who share universal human values, contribute added value to the tourism sector with their knowledge and skills, are preferred both in Türkiye and abroad, and maintain strong ties with the department after graduation.

Selected Courses from the Curriculum

In determining the curriculum, the compulsory courses required by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Association of Turkish Tourist Guides (TUREB) and the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA) were included.

Additionally, a wide range of courses that contribute to the professional development of tourist guides have been incorporated into the program, such as:

• Body language

• Sign language

• Map reading and GPS

• Cruise tourist guiding

• World museums

• Renaissance art

• Turkish and world culinary cultures

• Social media in tourism

These courses aim to enhance students’ practical competence and enrich their professional skill set.