3rd Edition of the “Hospitality Pioneers in Türkiye Biennale” Held on Our Campus

The 3rd edition of the “Hospitality Pioneers in Türkiye Biennale” was held this year on our campus on October 23, 2025, in honor of the distinguished entrepreneur Halit Narin, founder of Martı Group. Dedicated to recognizing the visionaries who have led the development of Türkiye’s hospitality industry and to passing their experiences on to future generations, the Biennial previously paid tribute to Rahmi Koç (Divan Hotels) and Mehmet Kemal Dedeman (Dedeman Hotels).

The Biennale opened with welcoming remarks from Prof. Barış Tan, President of Özyeğin University; Prof. Özge Samancı, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences; and Oya Narin, Chairperson of Martı Hotels & Marinas and President of the Turkish Tourism Investors Association (TTYD). The event brought together leading figures from the business and tourism sectors, academics, journalists, and students.

The program featured a panel titled “The Past, Present, and Future of Turkish Hospitality,” moderated by M. Teoman Alemdar, Founding Director of the School of Applied Sciences. Panelists Vahap Munyar, a prominent economic journalist, and H. Ferit Volkan, Board Member of Martı Hotels & Marinas, explored the evolution of the tourism sector and shared their insights and memorable stories about Halit Narin and the Martı Group’s remarkable journey. Following the panel, Halit Narin was honored with a plaque of appreciation for his valuable contributions to the development of the tourism industry in Türkiye.

The event concluded with the opening of an exhibition highlighting Martı Group’s 60-year journey and key milestones in the development of Turkish tourism. The exhibition will remain on display at Özyeğin University for the next 2 years.