GAU Founding Rector and Chancellor of the Board Serhat Akpınar have reiterated the sensitivity they feel to Karpaz Area by stating that "The fate of the local community will soon begin to change with the completion of Life Campus".

In a meeting organized by Girne American University (GAU), the negativity in the field of Eco-Argo tourism experienced by the representatives of tourism, who are in business in Dipkarpaz, and possible solutions were discussed.

Eco-Agro tourism representatives expressed in their speeches at the meeting that the difficulties in natural parks and of the villages of Karpaz Peninsula, which has managed to enter the world of tourism literature and the expectations of the people from Eco-Agro tourism.

Tourism summit in GAU

The meeting that was held in GAU Cyprus Kyrenia Campus Millennium Presidential Office Meeting Room, was attended by GAU Founding Rector and Chancellor of the Board Serhat Akpınar, CEO and Vice Chancellor of the Board Assist Prof. Dr. Asım Vehbi, Vice Chancellor of the Board Olgun Üstün and senior executives.

Terlavukia Restaurant Manager, Trainer Zekai Altan, who has won the admiration of the people in Karpas with his successful works and Director of GAU Tourism and Hospitality Vocational School Assist. Prof. Dr. Ismet Esenyel also realized a presentation at the meeting.

Serhat Akpınar`s speech

GAU Founding President and Chancellor of the Board Serhat Akpınar, has stressed in his speech at the meeting that, the construction of the campus rapidly progressed with the sensitivity they feel as GAU towards Karpaz area while stating that “I believe wholeheartedly that the fate of the local community will soon begin to change with the completion of Life Campus”.

Serhat Akpınar who pointed out that the investment that were planned in order to get the maximum yield from the village pensions and increase the culture of the people of tourism will not remain below expectations in this stage, relayed that the economic power of the people will increase and new facilities can be developed with the additional income.

Akpınar drew attention to requirement of improving the social, economic and cultural awareness in order to get the expected yield in Eco-Agro tourism studies.

Problems were conveyed to authorities

At the meeting Cloister Home Operator Emine Albayrak who is a member of Karpaz Cooperative which founded within Eco-Tourism structure and Operators of the Elavis Monastery Ömer Çebi and Mustafa Akbulut also shared the difficulties they experienced in the name of cooperative with Under Secretary to the Prime Minister Hüda Hüdaverdi and Representative of the Ministry of Tourism Turgut Muslu.

Hüdaverdi emphasized that the continuation of the support to the investments with the encouragement of eco-tourism will continue in accordance to the local community and that a concrete progress will be achieved.

The regional representatives underlined that they experience difficulties in repayment of the loans taken by incentives, especially while repaying the loans in the summer season with the actual occupancy rate of around 30 percent due to implemented interests.

GAU Campus Activities

Director of GAU Tourism and Accommodation Higher School - Assist. Prof. Dr. İsmet Esenyel emphasized on behalf of the GAU that the sensitivity towards the people of the region is very high and stressed that their efforts of becoming a campus continue at the same rate.

Esenyel who pointed to the importance of providing people with "Eco Tourism Training" in this process, emphasized that the efforts on issues such as village boarding houses, guest relations, local tastes and transferring the local culture correctly should be increased.

Esenyel underlined that the International Tourism and Education Association (INTEB), which was established by GAU presidential Office, were in a very serious researching process for the region as of 2012 and presented the results of the last year’s survey on public expectations of tourists to the participants.

Akpınar “What is needed, will be done”

GAU Founding Rector and Chancellor of the Board Serhat Akpınar drew attention in his speech at the end of the meeting to the importance of increasing the alternative tourism and opportunities in the region with all the organs of Girne American University and Dipkarpaz Eco-tourism Cooperative acting together. He stated that they would do their best to raise the awareness of the people of the region by maintaining the calmness and serenity of the Karpaz peninsula and by improving joint marketing activities for development of the tourism phenomenon in the Karpaz region.