Tourism professionals' outcry over green passports: We should be the first to receive them

In the 19 proposed laws expected to be discussed in the coming days at the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) Internal Affairs Commission, green passports are proposed for various professions. These include all judges and prosecutors, security guards, businesspeople with 20 years of experience, truck drivers involved in international transportation for 10 years, mayors, pharmacists with 15 years of experience, journalists, engineers and architects, village and neighborhood heads, freelance accountants, disabled public employees, prison officers, private sector doctors, theater artists, faculty members, TBMM advisors, union leaders, and veterans.

However, the tourism sector is not among the professions listed in these 19 proposed laws.

"We are the sector with the most international connections"

Kaan Kaşif Kavaloğlu, President of the Mediterranean Touristic Hoteliers and Operators Association (AKTOB), emphasized that tourism is the most globally integrated sector, stating, "If there were a G7 or G20 equivalent in tourism, Turkey would be part of it. Tourism professionals in our country deserve this privilege first. We play a crucial role in promoting our country globally. Visa issues are very serious, and each company could be given a quota. Even when attending international fairs, we face problems. Turkey participates in over 20 fairs every year, and the average tourism professional attends at least five of them. Especially fairs like WTM London, ITB Berlin, Ultrecht in the Netherlands, and MITT Moscow are essential for us. Besides these fairs, there are many specialized fairs and numerous events such as sales meetings with tourists. Currently, only staff with visas can attend. Obtaining new visas has become very challenging. We are the sector that generates the most foreign exchange in Turkey and has the most international connections."

"Why isn't tourism included among the 19?"

Recep Yavuz, Head of the Tourism Working Group at the Antalya City Council, pointed out that the Schengen procedures applied by Western European countries have become increasingly complicated for Turkey and its citizens. "Getting an appointment has become really difficult. After getting an appointment, obtaining a visa takes months, even years, and has additional costs. This has especially put businesspeople with unplanned international travel, such as those in tourism, in a very difficult position. Everyone is trying their own methods to overcome this. But we, tourism professionals, have been voicing our demand for green passports for years regarding this long-standing issue. There is a proposed law to be discussed in the TBMM in the coming days. While each of the professions listed has its own justifications, why isn't tourism included among the 19?" he asked.

"The field of a tourism professional is abroad"

Yavuz stressed that tourism professionals are the ones who most need and deserve green passports, saying, "For a tourism professional, traveling abroad is a normal procedure. These dates are often not known in advance. Sometimes they need to attend meetings with tour operators, and other times they must participate in fairs and conferences. In short, the field of a tourism professional is abroad. A tourism professional who cannot travel abroad is left in a state of desperation and pins their hopes on obtaining a green passport. Including green passports for tourism professionals among the priority topics for discussion is essential. For a tourism professional, this is more than just a trip; it is a job. Therefore, tourism professionals should be included in the green passport proposals to be discussed in the TBMM in the coming days."

Tour guides also seek green passports

Antalya Guides Chamber President Mustafa Yalçın Yalçınkaya highlighted that tour guiding is a profession that greatly contributes to promoting Turkey. "Professional tour guides face significant obstacles in performing their duties due to visa restrictions, particularly for protocol and cultural tours in European Union countries. It is crucial that they be granted the right to obtain special-stamped green passports to carry out their duties more effectively. As tour guides, whose profession requires frequent travel abroad, we believe we should benefit from this right. In this context, it is necessary to grant special-stamped passports to facilitate their international travel."

The visa application process is very challenging

Medine Resulzade, a sales manager for a hotel group, noted that travel agencies and hotels allocate a significant portion of their budgets to promote Turkish tourism. "Every agency and hotel employs personnel responsible for this task. They participate in almost all fairs and events worldwide. However, the visa application process is very challenging. Some of our colleagues even have to use dual passports due to the visa application process. While promoting in one country, their passports are at consulates for visas for another country. Therefore, granting green passports to tourism workers, within certain rules (such as for senior staff or for a certain duration), would certainly make our job easier," she said.