The GNAT Public Works, Zoning, Transport and Tourism Commission convened under the chairmanship of AK Party Trabzon Deputy Adil Karaismailoğlu.
Explaining that approximately 2023 million tourists came to Turkey in 57 and approximately 54 billion dollars of tourism income was obtained, Yayman pointed out that tourism is one of the important forces of Turkey's development.
Stating that tourism is a very important sector for Turkey and that significant progress has been made in this field, Yayman said, “We want to ensure that the software of our sector is updated and the restructuring of all components suitable for 'tourism 2030', so to speak, with common sense and participation, in order for Turkey to reach its 4.0 targets. “Our offer is very important for Turkey to achieve its tourism goals.” he said.
Yayman stated that with the proposal, changes were made in areas where there was a need to solve the problems arising in the practice of tourist guide service and to increase the quality of service, and noted that it would be easier for those who graduated from the art history and archeology departments of universities and have foreign language proficiency to become tourist guides.
“Within the common understanding and deliberative democracy approach, our aim is to receive and evaluate the demands, problems and requests from the sector in line with the needs and to take our sector further.” Yayman also said that Chinese tourists have a great potential for Turkish tourism, and that the proposal aims to encourage tourist guides in Far Eastern languages, especially Chinese, for tourists coming from the Far East.
Stating that they received the opinions and criticisms of professional organizations of tourist guides regarding the proposal and that they will evaluate them, Yayman said, “Our aim is not to eat grapes or beat the vinedresser. “We really want to make an arrangement in line with the needs.” he said.
Discussions on the Proposal Law on Amending the Tourist Guide Profession Law, which includes regulations regarding tourist guides and travel agencies, and the Law on Travel Agencies and the Association of Travel Agents, continue in the Public Works, Zoning, Transport and Tourism Commission of the Turkish Grand National Assembly.
Speaking on the entire proposal, CHP Aydın Deputy Hüseyin Yıldız stated that they attach importance to improving the quality of tourism in Turkey, but above all, the Constitution must be followed.
Stating that if the regulation becomes law, guides in China will guide in Turkey, Yıldız said, “Turkish guides will introduce Turkey. Woe to us if we bring guides from China, Germany, France and promote Turkey. We already have many problems in Turkey. We will also import guides from abroad. This is not an acceptable situation. How do we know whether those guides will come tomorrow and act as spies in Turkey or whether they misrepresent Turkey? he said.
Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Nadir Alpaslan, in response to CHP's Yıldız's claims, said, “There is no such thing as import guidance in the bill proposal, and it is against our laws. The purpose of the China guide is that the population of China has reached 1,5 billion. 400 million Chinese people a year want to travel around the world after the pandemic period. Unfortunately, the number of Chinese coming to us is not even half a million. We want to increase this to millions. It's a big market. Based on this, we offer people who are faculty graduates and speak Chinese the opportunity to become Chinese guides with fast programs. The most basic condition of being a guide is to be a citizen of the Republic of Turkey. "According to our laws, it is not possible for a non-citizen to be a guide."
“WE ARE INVOLVED IN A STUDY THAT MAKE MAJOR CHANGES IN THE TRAVEL AGENCIES LAW”
Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, Alpaslan, responded to CHP's Yıldız's statement that "when the agency established in China brings customers to Turkey, the guides they bring are allowed to provide service" and said that there was no such possibility and authority.
Alpaslan pointed out that important legal regulations have been made to achieve tourism goals and said, “Together with our esteemed representatives, we are working on making radical changes in the Travel Agencies Law. Perhaps it will come to the agenda of our commission again soon, at the discretion of our Assembly. We are not agency focused, guide focused, this or that focused; "We are aiming to develop Türkiye's tourism and reach 2028 billion dollars of income in 100." he said.
WITH THE PROPOSAL, AMENDMENTS ARE BEING MADE IN THE TOURIST GUIDE PROFESSIONAL LAW.
Accordingly, in applications for admission to the profession, the exam to determine foreign language proficiency will be held by ÖSYM. ÖSYM will be able to have exams conducted by expert and impartial institutions in languages that are not included in the exam calendar.
Those who meet all the conditions for admission to the profession will be entitled to become a tourist guide in the foreign language they pass in the profession admission exam conducted by specialized public institutions and organizations upon the request of the Ministry.
Those who meet the conditions for admission to the profession but cannot only meet the requirement for a foreign language proficiency certificate will be entitled to become a regional or national Turkish tourist guide, depending on the practice trip they attend, if they are successful in the profession admission exam held by specialized public institutions and organizations upon the request of the Ministry.
CHINESE ARRANGEMENT
For candidates in the Far Eastern languages to be determined, especially Chinese, graduates of associate, bachelor's or master's degree programs of tourist guiding departments of universities, or for those who have graduated from other departments other than the tourist guiding department of universities at least at the undergraduate level, in the languages determined by taking into account the needs of the tourism sector, as necessary. In these cases, there will be no requirement to complete a national or regional tourist guide training program in the designated regions.
There will be no requirement for undergraduate graduates of university art history and archeology departments to participate in the tourist guide training program. These people will be entitled to become regional or national tourist guides, depending on the practice trip they attend, in the foreign language they are successful in, by fulfilling the other specified conditions and successfully completing the practice trip with at least a 100-hour training program within the framework of the procedures and principles determined by the regulation.
– Application for admission to the profession will be made to the Ministry
With the proposal accepted in the commission, the limit on the validity period of the foreign language proficiency certificate required to practice the profession of tourist guide in a foreign language was removed.
According to the proposal, the application for admission to the profession will be made to the Ministry. The Ministry will make the necessary examinations within 30 days and issue a license if the application is accepted, and will notify the applicant of rejected applications with the justification.
Those who have been accepted to the profession despite not meeting the conditions for admission to the profession, those who have been convicted of a crime that prevents admission to the profession, and those who have an obstacle to the profession will be dismissed from the profession by the decision of the Ministry.
Tourist guidance will only be carried out in accordance with the law and professional ethical principles in the foreign languages specified in the work card.
PENALTY OF DISMISSAL
The proposal also includes regulations regarding disciplinary penalties to be applied to tourist guides.
In this context, if the act in question is committed 5 times within 2 years, a temporary ban from the profession will be imposed, and if it is committed 3 times, a penalty of dismissal from the profession will be applied.
According to the proposal, tourist guide fees will be determined and announced by the Ministry, not less than 70 percent of the determined base wage, if the profession is performed in Turkish.
Trips carried out by schools and institutions affiliated with the Ministry of National Education for students, accompanied by teachers and without commercial purposes, will be excluded from the scope of the regulation.
Those who provide guidance services without having a license will be given an administrative fine from 25 thousand liras to 100 thousand liras by the relevant civil administrator, taking into account the number of people served and the characteristics of the region.
During the provision of tourist guide service, if the guide provides any benefit to himself or the person he will direct, in return for being sent to a certain business for shopping purposes without the knowledge and approval of those receiving this service, the local administrative authority will impose an administrative fine of 25 thousand lira to 100 thousand lira. .
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS WILL BE OBLIGED TO PROVIDE ALL KINDS OF INFORMATION DURING THE AUDIT.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism will have the authority to inspect all kinds of business, transactions, activities and accounts of professional organizations and their affiliates through inspectors and controllers when necessary and at least every 3 years.
Professional organizations will be obliged to provide all kinds of information and show documents during the audit.
Body members and staff of professional organizations will be punished as public officials for their criminal acts and actions related to their duties.
