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Ankara has been named the 2026 Turkic World Tourism Capital, and the year’s event calendar—coordinated by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism—has been set. At a meeting attended by Deputy Minister Serdar Cam, officials announced the program and introduced the “Ankara 2026” official logo. Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said the logo was shared with the public for the first time, adding that the title “fits Ankara with its history, culture, and spirit,” and that the emblem will stand as the symbol of all 2026 events.
He invited all partners to share their planned activities with the Ministry, noting that Ankara will serve as a cultural and tourism showcase for the Turkic world throughout 2026.
Officials underlined Ankara’s long arc—from the Hittites to the Seljuks, the Ottomans and the Republic—its museums and arts institutions, and its modern urban character, presenting the city as a rare place that reflects the shared values of the Turkic world.
The title was granted by the Turkic States Organization (TDT) in May, strengthening cultural and tourism ties across member countries.
Within TDT’s annual designation, Kokand (Uzbekistan) held the title in 2022, Shamakhi (Azerbaijan) in 2023, Turkistan (Kazakhstan) in 2024, and Jalal-Abad (Kyrgyzstan) in 2025.
Preparations for Ankara’s cycle have already begun.
Stage arts will anchor the program. The State Opera and Ballet’s Modern Dance Ensemble will present “Deli Dumrul”, bringing the legendary hero to life with music by Emre Kesim and choreography by Burge Kayacan; the world premiere is set for 8 December 2026.
A concert version adapted from Ahmet Adnan Saygun’s “Gilgamesh” will feature soloists from across the Turkic world as a flagship event. Marking the 1,500th year since the Prophet Mohammad's birth, a “Sofra ve Niyaz” Sufi music concert will be staged at Haci Bayram-i Veli Mosque Square, alongside a “Halil Ibrahim Sofrasi” iftar program before Ramadan.
Throughout 2026, sector workshops will foster collaboration. The Turkic World Publishing Workshop—coordinated by the General Directorate of Libraries and Publications—will convene publishers, library directors and academics to discuss shared alphabet, cataloging and publishing standards.
Capacity-building workshops in tourism will cover operations, marketing, promotion and product development, channeling Türkiye’s tourism experience to the wider Turkic world.
Ankara will host the Culture Route Festival on 20–28 September 2026, expanded with special sessions, concerts, exhibitions and cultural shows featuring TDT member countries.
City streets will come alive with music, gastronomy and performing arts.
A ten-film international campaign—six desktop spots and four UNESCO-focused videos—will promote Ankara in 22 countries, highlighting sites such as Nallihan, Lake Eymir, Gordion Ancient City, Haci Bayram Veli, Lake Tuz, Lake Mogan and Atakule. Digital pushes via GoTürkiye and GoAnkara aim for 102 million impressions. A new mobile project, “Turkic Silk Road / Turk Tour Digital Tourism Atlas,” will map cultural and natural heritage across TDT countries with an interactive interface; launch is planned for October 2026.
In parallel, “Explore Ankara” pages will go live on TripAdvisor and Trip.com in 15 countries, with Ankara stops added to the CTrip app for the China market.
PR efforts through Culture and Promotion Counsellor offices will distribute Ankara-themed releases in more than 40 countries. Throughout 2026, 108 guests—journalists, influencers and tour operators from 23 countries—will be hosted around themes spanning history, gastronomy, culture and museums.
The schedule includes: February “Eastern Express Influencer & Press Hosting,” March “UNESCO Wooden-Pillar Mosques Route” and “Anatolian Civilizations Routes,” June “Ankara Turkic World Tourism Capital Program,” August “Silk Road Heritage Route,” September “UNESCO World Heritage Route,” and November “Turkish Cuisine Influencer Program.”
In coordination with the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), Ankara films will screen at 17 international tourism fairs in 15 countries, including FITUR (Madrid), ITB (Berlin), MITT (Moscow), CITB (China), TTG (Rimini), WTM (London) and ITTF (Warsaw).
To strengthen the look and feel of the year, the Turkic World Tourism Capital logo will appear on agendas, to
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