Activities

Sustainable Ecotourism Awareness (SEA) Project

Cappadocia University is expanding its research, development, and educational expertise in the field of sustainable tourism across Europe through the Sustainable Ecotourism Awareness (SEA) project, funded by the European Union.

The project aims to enhance the awareness of sustainability among small and medium-sized tourism enterprises in Europe, document best practices, and thereby strengthen service quality alongside environmental and social sustainability.

As part of the project, Cappadocia University will play an active role in the design and delivery of educational programs, the development of online course content, and the implementation of final assessment and evaluation processes. In addition, awareness surveys targeting tourism businesses across Europe will be designed under the coordination of the University.

Through these efforts, good practices in ecotourism will become more measurable, shareable, and scalable, contributing to the sustainable transformation of the tourism sector across the continent.

ELEVATE Project Trainings for Women Entrepreneurs Launched in Hatay

Within the scope of the British Council-supported “ELEVATE” project, digital capacity-building trainings for women entrepreneurs have commenced in Hatay with the partnership of our University.

Implemented in collaboration with the University of Wolverhampton, Tech West Midlands (TechWM), Mustafa Kemal University, and CARE International, the ELEVATE project aims to support women entrepreneurs affected by the earthquakes of 6 February 2023 in rebuilding their businesses, fostering growth, and developing sustainable business models. The project is being coordinated in Türkiye by the Center for Social and Strategic Studies (SSÇM) of our University.

The first phase of the training program began on Tuesday, October 7th with 20 women entrepreneurs and will continue for a total duration of nine months. Throughout the program, participants will gain knowledge and experience in a wide range of areas including digital skills, e-commerce, social media management, and marketing strategies. In addition to enhancing individual capacities, the project also aims to strengthen regional solidarity and collaborative networks.

By promoting the active participation of women in Hatay’s economic and social reconstruction process, the ELEVATE project aspires to contribute to long-term local development. Upon completion of the training program, participants are expected to improve their visibility on digital platforms, enhance their ability to implement innovative business ideas, and contribute to the sustainability of a women-centered entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Artvin Tourism Master Plan Workshop

The Artvin Tourism Master Plan Workshop was held on September 29, 2025, with the aim of evaluating the province’s tourism potential in line with sustainability principles, fostering collective insight among local stakeholders, and defining strategic objectives. Bringing together representatives from public institutions, local authorities, civil society organizations, academia, and the tourism sector, the workshop focused on how Artvin’s natural, cultural, and social assets can be preserved and enhanced through tourism. Visionary projects and both short- and long-term action proposals were discussed in depth. This significant gathering constituted a key milestone in the comprehensive planning process to enhance Artvin’s competitiveness in the tourism sector.

Uzum Saylı Festival

Cappadocia University signed an important cooperation agreement during the international “Uzum Sayli” (Grape Festival) held in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. Invited as a guest speaker, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Halil Burak Sakal, Director of the Center for Social and Strategic Studies (CSSS) at Cappadocia University, delivered a presentation on sustainable tourism, international collaborations, and the development of Uzbekistan’s tourism sector. As part of the event, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Tashkent Provincial Government, MDIS Tashkent, and Cappadocia University CSSS for the preparation of a Tourism and Services Sector Master Plan for the 2026–2030 period. The plan aims to support regional development and establish a sustainable tourism infrastructure, focusing specifically on the districts of Parkent, Bostanlik, Angren, and Ohangaron.

In recent years, Uzbekistan has witnessed significant growth in its tourism sector. The number of international tourists rose from 6.7 million in 2019 to 10.2 million in 2024. Tourism revenues increased from 2.14 billion USD in 2023 to approximately 3.5 billion USD in 2024. In the first five months of 2025, 4.2 million tourists entered the country, marking a 48.2 percent annual increase. During the same period, Tashkent International Airport served 8.7 million passengers, while Samarkand International Airport experienced a 37 percent increase, reaching 1.38 million passengers.

The signed MoU includes the following key steps: the establishment of a joint expert group; field research and data collection in selected districts; training programs and seminars to build local capacity; joint applications for funding to support the preparation of the Master Plan; and the development of a comprehensive strategic document for the 2026–2030 period.

This cooperation aims to guide Uzbekistan’s growing tourism sector with a strategic, sustainable, and evidence-based approach. With the contribution of Cappadocia University's expertise and experience, this initiative lays the groundwork for a strong and long-term academic and sectoral partnership between the two countries.

Mardin Tourism Master Plan Workshop

Organized with the aim of shaping Mardin’s sustainable tourism vision, the Mardin Tourism Master Plan Workshop was successfully conducted with broad participation from public institutions, local authorities, industry stakeholders, academics, and civil society organizations. The workshop focused on key strategies to preserve and transmit the city’s historical and cultural heritage, increase tourism revenues, and strengthen international recognition. Participants engaged in constructive dialogue on project ideas and implementation models aimed at enhancing the visibility of Mardin’s unique assets. This comprehensive meeting marks a significant step toward achieving Mardin’s sustainable tourism growth goals, while the proposals put forward will serve as a roadmap for the development of the Tourism Master Plan.

Amasya Tourism Master Plan Workshop

The Amasya Tourism Master Plan Workshop, held on 21 July 2025, was organized to assess the province’s tourism potential through the lens of sustainability principles and to develop a strategic roadmap for the 2025–2030 period. With active participation from representatives of the public and private sectors, civil society, and academia, the workshop offered a multidimensional evaluation of Amasya’s rich cultural heritage, natural landscapes, gastronomy, health tourism, and rural tourism assets. Within the scope of the workshop, key challenges, emerging opportunities, and priority project areas were identified using a participatory approach. The workshop outcomes serve as a foundational reference for shaping visionary projects that will contribute to Amasya’s branding as a tourism destination and support inclusive and sustainable local development.

Konya 2030: New Vision, New Strategies

Aiming to increase Konya’s tourism revenues and competitiveness in the tourism sector, Konya 2030: New Vision, New Strategies adopts a holistic development approach that preserves the city’s cultural heritage while shaping its future. This strategic vision aspires to make Konya a global model city through a wide spectrum of initiatives ranging from smart city applications and transportation and infrastructure development to innovative policies and diversified tourism products.

GSTC Attraction Standard

The GSTC Attraction Standard upholds the esteemed legacy of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) as the facilitator of an inclusive global process for the development and governance of sustainable travel and tourism standards. The Attraction Criteria were developed using the same rigorous, systematic, and inclusive methodology as the GSTC Industry and Destination Standards. This approach has enabled the criteria to be widely recognized and adopted as global standards by numerous public institutions and private sector entities across diverse political systems and cultural contexts. The criteria are grounded in universal concepts developed without bias.

Key applications of the criteria include:

• Supporting a holistic definition of sustainability;
• Raising awareness about the scope and nature of sustainability;
• Providing a foundation for sustainability certification;
• Serving as essential guidelines for attraction operators to become more sustainable, including the identification of more responsible suppliers and service providers;
• Facilitating access to growing markets for sustainable businesses and guiding attractions in the selection of suppliers and business partners;
• Helping consumers identify and choose sustainable attraction operators;
• Offering a common benchmark for media outlets to recognize sustainable attractions;
• Serving as a starting point for public and private sector stakeholders in developing sustainability requirements for attraction operations;
• Acting as a foundational framework for education and training programs in universities, tourism and hospitality schools, and professional associations;
• Demonstrating leadership that inspires others to take action.

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GSTC MICE Standard

The GSTC MICE Criteria reflect the proud legacy of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) as a steward of a highly inclusive and global process for developing and managing sustainable travel and tourism standards. Like the GSTC Industry Criteria and Destination Criteria, the MICE Criteria were developed through a rigorous, methodical, and participatory process. As a result, they have been widely recognized and adopted as global standards by numerous government agencies and businesses, independent of political systems or cultural orientations. These are universal concepts developed without bias.

Some key uses of the Criteria include:

• Supporting a comprehensive definition of sustainability;
• Raising awareness of the scope and nature of sustainability;
• Serving as a foundation for sustainability certification;
• Acting as core guidelines for MICE businesses to become more sustainable by identifying more responsible suppliers and service providers;
• Enabling sustainable businesses to access growing markets and guiding MICE businesses in selecting partners and suppliers;
• Assisting consumers in identifying trustworthy and sustainable MICE providers;
• Providing a common reference for media outlets seeking to recognize sustainable MICE businesses;
• Offering a starting point for both public and private sectors in establishing sustainable MICE business requirements;
• Serving as a foundational framework for academic and vocational education on sustainable MICE practices in universities, tourism schools, and institutions;
• Demonstrating leadership that inspires others to take action.

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Anatolian Project

The Anadoludakiler Project is a pioneering initiative led by Cappadocia University with the support of the Ahiler Development Agency, aiming to align Türkiye’s cultural heritage with sustainability and quality standards. The project seeks to both preserve Anatolia’s traditional, locally crafted products and enhance their competitiveness in global markets. To this end, product and producer accreditation criteria were developed based on principles of traceability, transparency, and quality, and aligned with national and international sustainability frameworks. During the project, pilot fieldwork was conducted with five products and five producers to test the applicability of the criteria, which were subsequently finalized based on the findings. In addition, auditor training programs, an accreditation handbook, certification procedures, and promotional materials were prepared—contributing both to institutional capacity building and to the broader dissemination of the system. In this context, the project aspires to create a strong impact not only at the academic level but also across industry and society.

Samsun Tourism Master Plan

Cappadocia University (KÜN) has prepared the Samsun Tourism Master Plan based on scientific foundations and through a participatory and sustainable approach. As one of Türkiye’s leading higher education institutions with recognized expertise in tourism planning and destination management, KÜN conducted a comprehensive analysis of Samsun’s natural, cultural, and socio-economic structures, revealing the province’s tourism potential. Within the scope of the master plan, a detailed assessment was carried out, including a current situation analysis, a SWOT analysis, strategic goals and priorities, thematic focus areas, visionary projects, regional and local project proposals, marketing and promotion strategies, as well as monitoring and evaluation processes. Samsun’s diverse tourism assets—such as coastal tourism, nature-based tourism, cultural and historical tourism, and health and thermal tourism—were addressed through a multidimensional planning framework, resulting in the development of actionable and context-specific strategies.

Kutahya Tourism Master Plan

The Kütahya Tourism Master Plan is a multi-stakeholder, strategic roadmap aimed at leveraging the province’s historical, cultural, and natural assets through a sustainable tourism approach. The plan seeks to enhance the visibility of Kütahya’s unique identity across various thematic areas of tourism, support local development, and strengthen the province’s economic, social, and cultural structures through tourism.

TGA Tourism Promotion and Development Roadmaps

In collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye and the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, our center has launched a series of initiatives aimed at enhancing the international tourism competitiveness of destinations across the country. Within this framework, promotional and development strategies are being prepared for various provinces and discussed in meetings with the participation of Provincial Tourism Promotion and Development Boards. These efforts are used to define tailored tourism roadmaps for each province.

Evaluation of the Candidacy of Konya and Gaziantep Destinations for European Smart Tourism Capital

As part of the project supporting the candidacy of Konya and Gaziantep for the title of European Capital of Smart Tourism, the two cities were evaluated in detail across five key pillars: sustainability, accessibility, digitalization, cultural heritage, and creativity. In preparation for the application to the European Commission, previous initiatives and achievements of both cities in the field of smart tourism were analyzed and documented. The project aims to strengthen the candidacies of Konya and Gaziantep and to enhance their visibility and recognition at the European level.

Common Horizons for Humanity and the Planet 2nd Stage Project

This project aims to build upon and scale up the outcomes of the Shared Horizon for Humanity and the Planet initiative, which was implemented with the support of the Directorate of Communications of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye.

Empower Women Entrepreneurs in Turkey Post-2023 Earthquake Through Digital Capacity Building and Adopting Digital Solutions to Support Business Growth and Rebuild (ELEVATE)

The world is facing numerous crises, including natural disasters, infectious disease outbreaks, and the escalating impacts of climate change. Among these challenges, natural disasters—particularly earthquakes—disproportionately affect communities. For example, on February 6, 2023, a series of devastating earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş struck 11 provinces in southern Türkiye. Among the hardest hit was Hatay, where 48,422 businesses were destroyed. Severely impacted groups included women entrepreneurs operating micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). According to a 2023 report by KAGİDER (Women Entrepreneurs Association of Türkiye) and UN Women, 88% of women-led enterprises (WLEs) reported disruptions to their operations, with 50% of those suspending business unable to resume production and/or services post-disaster. In response, the ELEVATE Project aims to design, assess, and implement a state-of-the-art toolkit to strengthen women-led MSMEs in Hatay and support their resilience and recovery.

1/25000 Scale Cappadocia Area Plan Project

A significant portion of the Cappadocia region, located within the boundaries of the site management area, is characterized by unique geological and morphological features. It also encompasses agricultural lands suitable for the cultivation of local products and hosts a range of natural and cultural assets, making it a region of both national and international importance. Given these attributes, the spatial development and settlement of the region must occur under specific conditions, necessitating planning frameworks that ensure a balanced approach to conservation and use. Currently, there is no existing plan that concretely establishes this conservation–use balance or serves as an environmental master plan for the region. This study aims to prepare a 1:25,000 scale Environmental Plan that will guide sustainable development while safeguarding the region's ecological and cultural integrity.

Action Plan Project for Tourism Development of Hürmetçi Reeds

Hürmetçi Wetland, located within the boundaries of Hacılar District, is a wetland of international importance as it meets one of the nine Ramsar criteria. Positioned along a major migratory route spanning Europe, Asia, and Africa, it hosts a wide variety of bird species. Its ecological significance, combined with its proximity to key destinations such as Cappadocia and Mount Erciyes, gives the site considerable tourism potential. The requested technical assistance aligns with Measures 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3 under the "Development of the Services Sector" axis of the TR72 Region 2014–2023 Regional Plan. It aims to provide consultancy services for the preparation of an Action Plan for Promoting Hürmetçi Wetland as a Tourism Asset. This consultancy is intended to produce a strategic action plan as a first step toward integrating Hürmetçi Wetland into the regional economy through sustainable tourism standards, thereby unlocking its potential in the TR72 Region.

Green Transformation in Tourism: Sustainable Practices and Carbon Footprint Measurement in Hotels

The Green Transformation in Tourism: Sustainable Practices and Carbon Footprint Measurement in Hotels project is a joint initiative with the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), aiming to promote sustainability within the tourism sector. As part of the project, data will be collected from selected pilot hotels and integrated into TGA’s forthcoming carbon footprint measurement portal. This digital platform will enable hotels—and eventually all tourism stakeholders—to input their operational data and calculate their carbon footprints. By facilitating access to standardized measurement tools, the project seeks to enhance environmental awareness across the sector and support the broader adoption of sustainable practices.

Supporting Turkey's Travel and Tourism Development: Challenges and Opportunities of Using Big Data for Sustainable Growth

This project aims to identify policy pathways for advancing sustainability goals in Türkiye’s travel and tourism sector through the use of big data and digitalization. Tourism accounts for approximately 11% of Türkiye’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), underscoring its vital role in the country’s socioeconomic development. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tourism sector experienced a significant slowdown in 2020, 2021, and 2022. However, the sector began to recover in 2023. Sustainability has increasingly become a key driver of the sector’s success and competitiveness. Big data analytics and digital technologies play a critical role in monitoring and managing the economic, social, and environmental impacts of tourism by providing actionable insights from diverse data sources. Therefore, strategic investments are required to strengthen Türkiye’s capabilities in this area. To enable policymakers to leverage big data effectively for sustainable tourism development, a comprehensive governance framework must be established. Financial mechanisms should be reinforced, and institutional capacity should be enhanced. Furthermore, ensuring data privacy and digital security is essential as the sector continues its digital transformation.

Sustainable Gastronomy Criteria Project

Under the leadership of Cappadocia University and in collaboration with the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), this pioneering initiative has adapted the world’s first sustainability criteria developed specifically for restaurants to the context of Türkiye. As part of the project, nine pilot restaurant establishments across the country were visited to test the local applicability of the criteria. Field observations, implementation analyses, and stakeholder feedback were used to refine and elaborate the criteria set. Beyond developing the criteria, the project also aims to build the necessary human capital to mainstream sustainable restaurant practices. In this regard, specialized training programs are being designed for both industry professionals and independent auditors, thereby contributing to the emergence of a new framework for sustainable gastronomy in Türkiye. This initiative not only serves national needs but also stands as a model of good practice at the international level.

Sustainable Tourism Destination Assessment Project

The Sustainable Tourism Destination Assessment Project evaluates the destinations of Birgi and Side in accordance with the criteria of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), monitoring their compliance with the principles of sustainable tourism. The primary objective of the project is to assess the extent to which these destinations align with environmental, cultural, and economic sustainability standards, and to promote and enhance sustainable tourism practices. By minimizing the negative impacts of tourism, the project aims to foster a tourism approach that delivers long-term benefits for both local communities and visitors.

Library Sustainability Management System Project

This research project, conducted by the Center for Social and Strategic Studies at Cappadocia University, aims to examine the feasibility and potential of sustainability certification for public institutions in Türkiye, with a particular focus on libraries and museums. By investigating the opportunities and challenges associated with implementing sustainable practices in these cultural institutions, the project seeks to contribute to the advancement of sustainable development efforts. Additionally, the project endeavors to fill a gap in the academic literature concerning the application of sustainability principles to museums and libraries, while providing practical insights and recommendations for policymakers, cultural managers, and stakeholders in the tourism and cultural sectors. Ultimately, the project aspires to promote a more environmentally, socially, and economically responsible approach to museum and library management, thereby supporting the broader implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in Türkiye. Within the scope of this project, the sustainability certification journeys of Türkiye’s first holders of the Biosphere Sustainable Museum Certificate—Rami Library and the İzmir Culture and Arts Factory—will be analyzed. The project also aims to offer academic and technical support to ensure that these institutions align fully with sustainability principles in every aspect of their operations. Drawing on the cases of Rami Library and the İzmir Culture and Arts Factory, the project’s ultimate objective is to develop a comprehensive Sustainability Plan for museums and libraries, ensuring their long-term sustainability.

A Common Horizon for Humanity and the Planet

Our goal within the scope of this project is to bring together the leading thinkers of the world, to create an international intellectual platform that draws its strength from human dignity, and that aims to build for the future of humanity and the planet with a holistic synergy with a view to offering humanity a common horizon. As Cappadocia University, our vision in this regard is to provide an academic platform from where esteemed intellectuals from around the world can share their visions for a common future of humanity and our planet, and to comment on the challenges and opportunities they envisage.

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WEF Data for Destinations joint project