The School of Tourism and Hotel Management was founded in 1992 and department of Travel Management & Tourism Guidance started first student admission in 2018-2019. The School was restructured on April 23, 2015 under the roof of Iskenderun Technical University. According to the decision number 968 published in the Official Gazette dated April 18, 2019 and numbered 30749, the School of Tourism and Hotel Management was closed and the Faculty of Tourism was established with the same decree. The department of Travel Management & Tourism Guidance has changed into department of Tourism Guidance in 2020-2021. Currently, the education continues under the name of Tourism Guidance within the Faculty.
The language of instruction in our department is Turkish but foreign language education is also provided in English, Deutsch and Japanese.
Mission:
To educate qualified tour guides who will practice professional tour guide as a national level with professional knowledge and equipment. And to train middle and upper level executive candidates who work in instutions and organizations related to profession.
Vision:
To be an academical institution, training qualified individuals who are preferred by employers in tourism sector and to be known nationally and internationally with scientific studies and activities.
Why Department of Tour Guiding?
According to the tourism data of Ministry of Culture and Tourism for 2023, total number of visitors of our country is 57,1 million and tourism income is 54,3 billion dolars. And it ranks 4th in world tourism in terms of the number of international tourists.
Turkiye has rich in historical, cultural and natural attractions, so tourists visiting our country want to travel with a tour guide who has professional knowledge and equipment, high communication competence and knowledge of foreign language. Although there are 12.757 tour guides in our country, there is an increasing need for qualified and highly educated tour guides. Foreign language education provided to students in department of tour guiding is also advantageous in terms of providing graduates an access to different job opportunities in the international area. With the job opportunities, department of Tourism Guidance has a very high occupancy rate and highly preferred by students.
Tourism Guiding Program Goals and Objectives
The Tourism Guiding Program aims to train innovative, ethical, and well-equipped tour guides who will make a difference in the tourism industry with their knowledge and skills. The main objectives of the program are as follows:
Knowledge and Skills:
- To train individuals who can adapt to the changing world by utilizing the possibilities offered by science, technology, and art.
- To provide a deep understanding of the structure, functioning, and dynamics of the tourism industry.
- To train individuals who can bring new perspectives and innovative solutions to the industry and businesses.
Language Proficiency:
- To train guides who can speak at least one foreign language fluently and have a good command of a second foreign language.
Expertise:
- To train individuals who are specialized in tourism and have the knowledge and skills to meet the needs of the sector.
Leadership and Management:
- To train leaders who are visionary, innovative, and entrepreneurial.
Social Individuality:
- To train individuals who have strong social skills and self-confidence, and are successful in communication and developing human relations.
Cultural Equipment:
- To train individuals who can understand and respect different cultures, and who value and protect cultural heritage and values.
Ethical Values:
- To train individuals who adhere to ethical principles and are responsible and respectful.
Academic Contribution:
- To train individuals who can make scientific contributions to tourism literature and produce projects that will guide the tourism industry.
The Tourism Guiding Program aims to train tour guides who will shape the future of the tourism industry, make a difference with their knowledge and equipment, and are ethical and responsible.
Job Opportunities for Our Graduates
The students who graduate from department of Tourism Guidance, will be able to become a professional tourist guide licensed from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism if they participate in practice trips organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Tour Guide Association and pass the foreign language proficiency exam.
Students graduate from this department;
Can be a freelance tour guide or practice affiliated with a travel agency,
Can work many fields such as Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Museums, Travel Agencies, Hotel Businesses, Airports, Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism
Has an opportunity to make an academic career
Click on link to access the syllabus http://obs.iste.edu.tr/oibs/Bologna/#
Click here to watch the video titled "preserve your history" prepared by our students and academicians
Also you can view our online event here, which we held with the ETS Tour Travel Agency Official on February 20, 2024, within the scope of internship and career opportunities for our students.
