A panel was held as part of the 8th National Tourism Guiding Congress at MAKÜ.

The 8th National Tourism Guiding Congress, hosted by Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University (MAKÜ) Faculty of Tourism and Yeşilova İsmail Akın Vocational School of Tourism, held a panel on the topic of 'Digitalization and Tourist Guiding.'

Academics, industry representatives, and students attended the panel. The event was held at the Lavanta Tepesi Hotel.

In his opening speech, the President of the 8th National Tourist Guiding Congress, Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Özcan Özdemir, stated that this year's organization took place with intense academic participation. Özdemir said, 'This year, our congress, which we are holding for the 8th time, has broken a record in the number of presentations thanks to your academic contributions. Today, 111 presentations will be made from 38 universities, and 217 valuable academics have contributed to these studies. I sincerely thank each owner of this great effort.'

Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Oğuz Gürsoy emphasized that the congress would provide significant gains both academically and in the industry. Vice Rector Gürsoy stated, 'This congress will be a platform where current developments in the field of tourism guiding will be discussed, especially focusing on guiding education, and will provide important gains for our students. It will also contribute to the on-site observation of our region's tourism potential.'

As part of the congress, an opening panel on 'Digitalization and Tourist Guiding' was also held. The panel featured speakers such as TUREB President Abdülkadir Tanrıdağlı, Antalya Guides Chamber (ARO) President Hülya Yıldırım Kaya, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alaattin Başoğda from Aksaray University. The moderation of the panel was undertaken by Prof. Dr. Özlem Köroğlu from Balıkesir University.

The panel discussed the effects of digitalization on the tourism sector, the transformation of the profession of tourist guiding, and the development of alternative types of tourism. The speakers emphasized that navigation systems and digital applications facilitate the guiding profession, but the importance of human communication and experience transfer, which are fundamental elements of the profession, remains crucial.

ARO President Hülya Yıldırım Kaya stated, 'Digitalization does not take our profession backward. On the contrary, when used correctly, it moves us forward. I believe that when these developments combine with the contributions of you esteemed academics and the correct use of these technologies by our students, a much stronger guiding profession will emerge.'

TUREB President Abdülkadir Tanrıdağlı, in his speech, said, 'Digitalization is not a threat; when used correctly, it is a great opportunity. The important thing is to manage this process consciously, planned, and by preserving the values of our profession.'

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alaattin Başoğda from Aksaray University stated in his speech that technology must be managed correctly during the adaptation process to the profession, saying, 'A professional understanding that does not dominate technology but uses it correctly should be developed.'

The program concluded after the participants' questions were answered, and Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Oğuz Gürsoy presented certificates of appreciation to the panelists.