Giving a seminar at the University of Kyrenia, TRNC Tourism Minister Faiz Sucuoğlu came together with the university’s students.
At the University of Kyrenia, TRNC Tourism Minister Faiz Sucuoğlu gave a seminar regarding tourism and its impacts on economy.
TRNC Tourism Minister Faiz Sucuoğlu, who came to the University of Kyrenia to give a seminar regarding tourism, alternative tourism types and the importance of tourism, was welcomed by Near East University Founding Rector Dr. Suat İ. Günsel, NEU Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Fahreddin Sadıkoğlu, Kyrenia University acting Rector Prof. Dr. İlkay Salihoğlu and General Secretary Asst. Prof. Dr. Hürmüs Refiker.
According to the press release issued by the Directorate of Press and Public Relations Office of the University of Kyrenia, acting Rector Prof. Dr. İlkay Salihoğlu made a speech at the seminar and extended his appreciations to Mr. Sucuoğlu for his participation. After delivering brief information on personal background of the minister, Professor Salihoğlu invited Mr. Sucuoğlu to the dais.
Faiz Sucuoğlu: “I feel myself like at home at the University of Kyrenia”
Addressing to the students, the Minister Sucuoğlu expressed his happiness of being at the University of Kyrenia. “I feel myself like at home here. I am trying to convince Suat Hoca (colloquial expression for Dr. Suat İ. Günsel) to invest in tourism. He is the first and most outstanding model who has achieved numerous accomplishments at national and international arena and proven the entire world what Turkish Cypriots are capable to do” said he.
Faiz Sucuoğlu: “Service industry, which covers tourism, education and healthcare, is very important for island countries”
Drawing attention to the substantial shift from the primary and secondary sectors to the service sector in industrialized countries, TRNC Tourism Minister Faiz Sucuoğlu provided some numerical data and highlighted that service industry was the largest and fastest growing sector. “Tourism like other service sectors is an important, even vital, source of income for many countries. In island countries, tourism and other alternative tourism types such as educational tourism, health tourism, creative tourism and experiential tourism are very important. Mass tourism, which is often the cheapest way to holiday and sold as package deal, has begun to lose its attraction as experiential tourism is emerging as one of the major market trends in the modern tourism sector. This new approach focuses on experiencing a country or a particular place by connecting to its history, people, food and culture instead of staying at 6- star- hotels. On the other hand, our country with its medical facilities has a great potential for healthcare tourism. I believe that health tourism will gradually gain importance in our country” said he.
Faiz Sucuoğlu: “The realized rate of tourism returns correspond to one third of the budget”
Tourism receipts grew to US$720 million in 2015 and this has a direct and indirect effect on almost 50 small, medium and big business involved in carpentry, citrus, halloumi and other dairy products industry. Tourism returns correspond to one third of our budget and this rate is very significant for TRNC as it is very young in this sector.
Faiz Sucuoğlu: “50 thousand bed capacity and 3 million tourists are enough for TRNC to be a self-sustained country”
Touching upon the crucial role of tourism in contributing to a country to be self sufficient, Mr. Sucuoğlu stated that they were exerting effort to set up strategy and action plan for developing tourism in a sustainable manner for the benefit of local residents and in general for the country. “To put a tourism master plan as a roadmap into effect is a crucial step towards achieving sustainability in tourism. Currently we have 20 thousand- bed-capacity and with this capacity it is a far possibility to play in the premier league of tourism. At least 50 thousand-bed-capacity is required to attract the attention of major tour operators. We have potential to realize or exceed this capacity. We have ongoing projects that scheduled to have 4 hotels with a total of 16 thousand-bed-capacity constructed in Bafra region. 50 thousand-bed capacity and 3 million tourists on annual basis are enough for TRNC to be a self-sustained country” said he.
Faiz Sucuoğlu: “As two integral components of tourism, Education and health in our country have appropriate infrastructures required for sustainable tourism; these two sectors will continue to provide contribution to tourism with an increasingly growing momentum“
Touching upon the significant role of developing strategies to increase awareness among target markets, Mr. Sucuoğlu stated that tourism was like a wide spectrum that encompasses many alternative types ranging from education to health. “As two integral components of tourism, education and health sectors in our country have appropriate infrastructures required for sustainable education. Our country has become a major educational center in the region. At the very beginning, we projected 20-30 thousand students; currently 85 thousand students from 109 different countries study at TRNC universities. This is very striking. Before the establishment of Near East University Hospital, our patients suffering from certain diseases had to seek treatment abroad. Whereas at present, foreign patients seek quality treatment at Near East University Hospital that is equipped with the most advanced novel technology. What’s more, the Hospital of University of Kyrenia will be opened in November. It is very obvious that Near East University Hospital is the leading gear of health tourism in our country. When the University of Kyrenia Hospital comes into service, health tourism will gain a greater momentum in our country” said he.
Faiz Sucuoğlu: “Our investments in TRNC tourism will continue”
Drawing attention to TRNC’s tourism potential, Minister Sucuoğlu noted that they would give a further boost to tourism by new investments. “Our country has the cleanest sea of the Mediterranean basin; we have to be aware of this and develop tourism strategies to benefit from it. Along with sun and sea, prickly pear (babutsa) is the only capital of the island of Malta and the major economical tourism is there. Therefore, we should focus on evaluating our tourism resources in the best way” said he. Underlining the necessity of raising TRNC’s image, Mr. Sucuoğlu touched upon the crucial role of foreign students in promoting the general impression of TRNC across the world. “Foreign students studying at TRNC universities have a significant contribution to the promotion of our country. Being aware of this fact, we, as the Ministry of Tourism, spare no sacrifices and exert all our effort to support them within our possibilities” noted he.
At the end of the seminar, Prof. Dr. İlkay Salihoğlu, acting Rector of University of Kyrenia, presented a thank you plaque to TRNC Tourism Minister Faiz Sucuoğlu.