Ankara Now Announced As 2026 Turkic World Tourism Capital, Yearlong Celebrations To Showcase City’s Rich Cultural Heritage

Published on October 22, 2025

Ankara, nan vibrant superior of Turkey, is preparing to go nan 2026 Turkic World Tourism Capital, pinch a wide scope of cultural, artistic, and tourism-focused events slated for nan year. The title, granted by nan Turkic States Organization (TDT) successful May 2025, was officially unveiled during a gathering attended by nan Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, Serdar Cam. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism has already rolled retired a packed yearlong program, which will item Ankara’s heavy humanities roots, taste treasures, and its domiciled successful nan shared practice of nan Turkic world.

A Rich Historical Tapestry

Ankara’s rich | history, spanning from nan Hittites and Seljuks to nan Ottomans and nan Republic of Turkey, makes it an perfect campaigner to correspond nan Turkic world’s corporate heritage. The metropolis is location to galore museums, taste institutions, and landmarks that item this agelong and divers history. Ankara will showcase its taste diversity, modern urbanity, and ancient past, making it a focal constituent for world tourism passim 2026.

The arena title, awarded by nan Turkic States Organization, builds connected erstwhile yearly designations that person taken spot successful cities specified arsenic Kokand (Uzbekistan) successful 2022, Shamakhi (Azerbaijan) successful 2023, Turkistan (Kazakhstan) successful 2024, and Jalal-Abad (Kyrgyzstan) successful 2025. With Ankara’s move successful 2026, nan metropolis will service arsenic a cardinal hub for taste speech and tourism promotion wrong nan Turkic world.

Cultural and Artistic Events Throughout 2026

The 2026 programme will beryllium anchored by a assortment of taste and shape performances, including opera, ballet, dance, and euphony concerts. A item of nan year’s performances will beryllium nan world premiere of “Deli Dumrul,” a modern creation capacity by nan State Opera and Ballet’s Modern Dance Ensemble. The production, inspired by nan legendary leader Deli Dumrul, will beryllium staged connected 8 December 2026.

Additionally, nan metropolis will big a performance type of Ahmet Adnan Saygun’s “Gilgamesh,” featuring soloists from crossed nan Turkic world. Other notable performances will see a “Sofra ve Niyaz” Sufi euphony concert, staged astatine nan Haci Bayram-i Veli Mosque Square, alongside a “Halil Ibrahim Sofrasi” iftar programme during Ramadan, celebrating shared belief and taste practices.

Collaborative Workshops to Strengthen Turkic World Ties

In keeping pinch nan taxable of fostering taste collaboration, Ankara’s 2026 programme will characteristic assemblage workshops to deepen nan shared practice among nan Turkic world nations. The Turkic World Publishing Workshop, coordinated by nan General Directorate of Libraries and Publications, will bring together publishers, academics, and room board to talk shared alphabets, cataloging standards, and publishing practices.

In nan tourism sector, workshops focusing connected operations, marketing, promotion, and merchandise improvement will transmission Turkey’s extended tourism expertise to different Turkic nations. These workshops purpose to heighten collaboration and fortify tourism practices crossed personnel countries of nan Turkic States Organization.

Showcasing Ankara’s Cultural and Natural Wonders

Ankara’s domiciled arsenic nan 2026 Turkic World Tourism Capital will beryllium bolstered by a bid of world campaigns, including a ten-film bid designed to item nan city’s taste and earthy attractions. Destinations specified arsenic Nallihan, Lake Eymir, Gordion Ancient City, and Haci Bayram Veli will beryllium featured, attracting visitors from 22 countries. The integer campaigns, tally via platforms specified arsenic GoTurkey and GoAnkara, purpose to scope 102 cardinal impressions globally, promoting Ankara’s value wrong nan Turkic world and beyond.

A caller mobile project, nan “Turkic Silk Road / Turk Tour Digital Tourism Atlas,” will besides beryllium launched successful October 2026. This interactive integer level will representation nan taste and earthy practice of TDT countries, offering an accessible assets for visitors and educators alike. The caller representation will service arsenic an basal instrumentality for anyone looking to research nan interconnected history and practice of nan Turkic nations.

Global Promotion and Press Engagement

In summation to nan integer campaigns, a broad world promotion scheme is group to tally passim 2026. A bid of property trips and on-the-ground storytelling will spot journalists, influencers, and circuit operators from 23 countries acquisition Ankara’s tourism offerings. Themes for nan property trips see history, gastronomy, culture, and museums, pinch notable events specified arsenic nan Eastern Express Influencer & Press Hosting successful February, UNESCO Wooden-Pillar Mosques Route successful March, and nan Silk Road Heritage Route successful August.

International recreation platforms will play a important domiciled successful promoting Ankara’s attractions arsenic well. “Explore Ankara” pages will beryllium featured connected TripAdvisor and Trip.com successful 15 countries, pinch a typical attraction connected nan Chinese marketplace done nan CTrip app.

The Culture Route Festival: A Cultural Showcase for nan Region

The Culture Route Festival, scheduled for 20–28 September 2026, will beryllium 1 of nan cardinal taste events of nan year. This show will characteristic a bid of concerts, exhibitions, and taste shows that bespeak nan divers creator traditions of nan Turkic world. The streets of Ankara will travel live pinch performances that see music, gastronomy, and ocular arts, creating an immersive acquisition for visitors.

Conclusion: A Year of Cultural Celebration and Collaboration

Ankara’s nickname arsenic nan 2026 Turkic World Tourism Capital is simply a important milestone for some nan metropolis and nan broader Turkic world. The yearlong events and taste showcases will not only item Ankara’s rich | practice but will besides service arsenic a level for deeper collaboration crossed Turkic nations. With its humanities sites, taste offerings, and strategical position successful nan bosom of Turkey, Ankara is poised to go a awesome taste and tourism destination successful 2026.

As nan preparations continue, Ankara is group to connection an unforgettable twelvemonth of taste exchange, celebration, and tourism, bringing together nations and group from crossed nan Turkic world and beyond.