ATO BROUGHT ANKARA'S TOURISM STRENGTH TO THE WORLD…

THE ANKARA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (ATO) PARTICIPATED IN THE "ITB BERLIN INTERNATIONAL TOURISM FAIR," ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST PRESTIGIOUS TOURISM FAIRS, BY OPENING A STAND AT THE EVENT.

CHAIRMAN OF ATO GÜRSEL BARAN AND THE ACCOMPANYING DELEGATION INTRODUCED THE CAPITAL'S HISTORICAL, CULTURAL, AND HEALTH TOURISM POTENTIAL DURING THE FAIR.

BARAN: "WE WILL MAKE ANKARA A STRONG BRAND CITY ON THE GLOBAL TOURISM MAP"

5 March 2026 – The Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO) introduced the tourism potential of the Turkish capital by opening a stand at the ITB Berlin International Tourism Fair, recognized as one of the largest and most prestigious tourism exhibitions in the world.

Reminding that Ankara has been selected as the "Turkic World Tourism Capital for 2026," ATO Chairman Gürsel Baran said: "We aim to make our capital a strong brand city on the global tourism map."

The Ankara Chamber of Commerce participated in the ITB Berlin International Tourism Fair, held in Berlin, Germany between 3–5 March, which opened its doors this year under the theme "Discover the stories behind 60 years of legacy" and serves as one of the most important meeting points of the global travel and tourism industry.

The ATO delegation, led by Chairman Gürsel Baran and including ATO Board Member Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ömer Çağlar Yılmaz, Chairman of the ATO Specialization Committee on City Promotion and Development Birol Akman, and Chairman of the ATO Tourism Development Specialization Committee Muhammet Sarıtaş, personally took part in promotion activities during the fair and presented Ankara to international tourism stakeholders.

Strong Interest in the ATO Stand

The 54-square-meter ATO stand, where Ankara's tourism potential was promoted together with the "Health Ankara" brand highlighting its health tourism capacity, attracted significant attention during the fair.

Two important heritage sites of Ankara listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, Gordion and Arslanhane Mosque, were also highlighted as part of the promotion activities. The ATO stand hosted numerous B2B meetings with international tour operators, health tourism representatives, and tourism investors.

Among the visitors to the stand were the President of the Turkish‑German Chamber of Commerce and Industry Rolf A. Königs and the President of Association of Turkish Travel Agencies Firuz Bağlıkaya, who received information about the activities carried out.

The stand was also visited by the Chairman of the Alanya Chamber of Commerce and Industry Eray Erdem and the Chairman of the Diyarbakır Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mehmet Kaya, along with their delegations.

Ankara's Cultural Heritage Presented Through Sand Art

The rich historical and cultural heritage of Ankara was presented to visitors through the language of art via a sand art performance by artist Veysel Çelikdemir at the ATO stand.

During the fair, Chairman Baran and the ATO delegation also visited numerous institutional and national stands, including that of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO), and met with their representatives. Discussions focused on current developments in the tourism sector, competitiveness, promotion strategies, and opportunities for mutual cooperation.

Visit to the Ambassador of Türkiye in Berlin

As part of their Berlin program, Chairman Baran and the ATO delegation also visited Gökhan Turan, Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye in Berlin. The meeting addressed issues such as enhancing the international promotion of Ankara's tourism potential, improving trade and tourism relations between the two countries, and exploring cooperation opportunities in health tourism, cultural tourism, and congress tourism.

"WE WILL POSITION ANKARA STRONGER IN THE INTERNATIONAL TOURISM MARKET"

Evaluating the fair, Chairman of ATO Gürsel Baran stated that the ITB Berlin Fair represents a strategic platform for the global tourism sector and said:

"As the Ankara Chamber of Commerce, by taking part in this important platform where the heart of the global tourism industry beats, we are bringing the tourism potential of our capital to the international showcase. We share our strong infrastructure and experience—especially in health tourism, as well as congress, fair, cultural, and thermal tourism—with international sector representatives. Ankara possesses a very significant tourism potential with its historical heritage, cultural richness, health tourism capacity, and transportation opportunities. Our goal is to move our capital to a much stronger position on the global tourism map."