Kayseri Provincial Culture and Tourism Directorate. Interview

Interview: İsmet Taymuş

1-      Can you talk about yourself briefly?

Originally I’m from Iğdır. I completed my university education at Erciyes University and graduated from department of Business. I have been working for 19 years in Kayseri as the Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism.

2- What was your job before you were the provincial director of culture and tourism of Kayseri and Why did you choose this position?

I got the chance to teach in my student years, because this was my second university in the field of basic education. But after a while I gave up teaching and I became Founder and general secretary of the Institute of Health Sciences at Erciyes University. My student life passed with social activities such as mountaineering, folk dancing, and I even took part in the environmental clubs. Because of these activities and my social life and my second education at University, when my student life ended, I was accepted to Kayseri Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism. Thus my life was to begin here.

3-      Can you tell us more about your job, what are your common activities, and how does a normal day look like?

I sort my tasks as follows:

- Reveal the value of the lost history and culture of our city, perpetuate those values ​​in our current cultural values ​​and ensure its own development in accordance with our presence.

- Cherish our culture. For this city, we are doing research on folk culture in towns and villages. We are performing various festivities for the preservation of customs and traditions, together with conferences and written sources.

- In the tourist areas, to uncover the potential of tourism in our city and promote these potentials in materialistic way. To raise up the pleasure of our local and national tourists, to make investment in the hotels and restaurants, to control and carry out an inspection in the field of the present touristic businesses. To promote nationally and internationally.

- Ensure the visibility. We make Kayseri promotion in the other countries such as ; Germany, Russia, the United States. We invite tour companies from the other countries. We press many free promotion books and pamphlets and distribute.

4-      How do you evaluate the tourism potential in Kayseri?

Kayseri has a very rich tourism product potential. Its nature, its historical and cultural beauty are really productive. Kayseri people are hospitable and Kayseri food is very tasty. Moreover, because of the location of Kayseri, the transportation system is very well developed and has easy line to go everywhere. The main tourist attractions of our region;

- Mountain Erciyes Winter Tourism Center

- Kapuzbaşı Water Falls

- Seljuk Empire Historical Artifacts

- Soğanlı and Kanish Karum Archeological Sites

- Talas Ali Said Pasha Street and Kayseri Houses, etc.

5-      Can you please mention what kind of activities you plan to carry out to improve this potential?

We support demonstration projects, restoration projects, accommodation projects and to be able to support them, we press informative info packages, brochures and some other printouts.

6-      Can you talk about the importance of Erciyes tourism and its future briefly?

Mountain Erciyes is a very important region for winter tourism and one of the best skiing tourism region of Turkey with its strong substructure. It has a very modern structure with strengthening infrastructure made in recent years. Not only skiing service, but health care is also provided in addition to this service, and as addition to those, tracking secure areas have very high quality. Moreover, it is much more advantageous when it is compared to other places because Mountain Erciyes is really close to city centre.

7-      What do you think about Selçuklu Museum within the scope of modern museology?

Seljuk Museum is the only and most important museum of Turkey. As Kayseri is one of the most important cities in the Seljuk period, we believe that it has the efficiency in terms of tourism of the museum. Physical building of the museum was built in 1200 by the Seljuks. This is the first hospital in Anatolia at the same time and  the place has the distinction of being the first health center and treated mental patients with music. The testament of the constucters is: “ No matter the language, religion or the nation of the patient, s/he must be treated well here.”

8-      Can you give us information about “Kültür Yolu” project?

“Kültür Yolu” (Culture Road) is a project which domestic and foreign tourists gather in front of the Seljuk museum, visit the historical artifacts in the city centre in company with the guides who are appointed by us without being charged any fees. These guides show them around from a certain routine and give them information about these places. Thus, our tourists can understand and learn by participating in this round how our cultural monuments are close to each other close to each other and how our province is rich in this regard and what is the true self of Kayseri!  

9-      / What is the place that attracts the most tourists in Kayseri?

Seljuk Museum, Döner Kümbet (Rotating Vault), Hunat Hatun Madrasa, Mountain Erciyes, Ağırnas Underground City and the Home of Architect Sinan, Talas, Soğanlı – Sultan Sazlığı Bird Paradise, Kapuzbaş Waterfall, etc.

10-  In your opinion, what are the cultural attractions of Kayseri? Why do you think that Kayseri should be visited?

Kayseri was the capital city of Cappadocia in time. It has different tourism products. Besides the opportunity of the direct flights from Europe and Turkey, it is hosting many transports (touristic, local, commercial, etc.) because of its location in the Middle of the Turkey. Moreover, as we mentioned above, its natural beauty and delicious food are good reasons to visit here.

11-  / Do you have any strategy to develop museology such as allowing free entry to students or restorate Talas as open-air museum?

-          In our ongoing efforts to improve the museology in Kayseri, we restore the museums inside of the Castle. When we bring 33.000 artifacts together (obtained in the axcavated works) and create new areas to exhibit them, and when the Milli Mücadele (National Struggle) Museum is completed, we will have done great things in this field.

-          We are suffering a great but enjoyable effort to make Talas open-air museum. We will restore the ones who are registered under the protection. We have already started working and they will continue to work on and on.

-          We provide our students with free admission to museums and culture, which is affiliated to the Ministry but it is needed to pay to the specialized museums because they are independent from us.

12-  Could you indicate some of the projects in Kayseri your Ministry has recently completed?

We're providing funding for infrastructure to municipalities. We provide support for cultural festivals and similar events.

13-  What are the duties of young people in the development of culture and tourism in Kayseri? What is your advice for them?

As Great Leader Atatürk says to young people; The Young People will manage the future.

There are many tasks of the young people to do in Culture and Tourism. 95% of employees in the tourism sectors consist of young people. Nearly 70% of employees in the travel agents are women.

In terms of the recognision of the tourism world by the young people, there are some tasks for the young people such as following the technology, learning foreign language more than one, protecting their own culture without destroying it. I admit these are universal tasks. All Young people must accept these ones as their own missions for their own countries and own cultures. In respect of maintaining the original without destroying each other they must undertake this task.

14-  In our first meeting we presented our European Voluntary Service. Do you believe it is a good opportunity for young people to prepare their future?

    15- I care EVS formation a lot. To ensure the world peace, Young people should approach and tolerance to each other, must recognize each other and should undertake major cultural mission in this matter. The Young share a lot of common points. For example, listening to music, watching the movies, etc. EVS projects in this regard are very important for young people so they can come and go to each other and explore these points. I congratulate this mission carried on the shoulders of IYACA. Such relationships rise to love and respect. World youth should use  their leisure time in a good way for the future peace and love. I would like to take this as opportunity to again welcome you and wish our volunteers to feel as if they were in their own home.

16-  Is there anything else you would like to add?

We would like to see such efforts of the youth , even much more in the future. They must visit each other more, they must realize the beauties more, they must know one another more than before and they MUST meet in a common culture and art. Thank you.