Masters of Hospitality Discuss M. Kemal Dedeman and The Divan Hotels at The Second "Hospitality Pioneers in Turkey Biennale"

The “Hospitality Pioneers in Turkey” biennale series organized for the second time this year by the Hotel Management Department at the School of Applied Sciences at Özyeğin University focused on Mehmet Kemal Dedeman, founder of the Dedeman Hotels who have made significant contributions to the development of tourism and hotel management in Turkey.

The Hospitality Pioneers in Turkey Biennale kicked off with the Mehmet Kemal Dedeman and the Dedeman Hotels & Resorts Exhibition on February 12. Personal effects and photographs of Mehmet Kemal Dedeman, the visionary founder of the Dedeman Hotels who made his entrance into the tourism industry by launching the Dedeman Ankara in 1966, and photographs which depict the transformation of the Dedeman Hotels over the years garnered substantial attention from visitors. The exhibition will be open to visitors at Özyeğin University for two years.

From the founder of Dedeman to the future of hospitality

The exhibition was followed by a panel discussion titled “The Future of Hospitality in the Changing World”.  Panelists discussed the evolution of hospitality since Mehmet Kemal Dedeman laid its foundations, and its future transformation.  The panel discussion was held with the participation of educators who have made great contributions to the Turkish tourism, as well as representatives of associations, leaders of the hospitality sector, and members of press. The discussions were moderated by M. Teoman Alemdar, Director of the School of Applied Sciences. The panelists Mehmet Önkal, Tavit Köletavitoğlu, and Ömer İsvan shared their predictions about the future transformation of hospitality  and its implications on the Turkish hospitality industry.