Turkish Ambassador to Brunei Highlights the Role of Tour Guides in Bridging Cultures

Bandar Seri Begawan, The Gulf Observer: Tour guides play a pivotal role in fostering cross-cultural understanding and promoting healthy people-to-people exchanges, said Turkish Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam, Professor Dr. Hamit Ersoy.

The ambassador made these remarks during a certificate presentation ceremony held at the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism’s (MPRT) Setia Pahlawan Hall on Thursday. The event celebrated nine hospitality and tourism professionals who successfully completed a Turkish language course.

“Such courses lay the foundation for long-term sustainable cooperation with depth and breadth,” said the ambassador.

He also referenced the historic state visit of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah to Turkiye in March 2023 and the agreements signed during the visit, emphasizing the strong brotherly ties between Brunei and Turkiye.

“As we continue to work on strengthening mutual cooperation, these language courses represent just a stepping stone for further exchanges between our nations,” he added.

Over the past year, the Turkish Embassy, in collaboration with the Yunus Emre Institute (YEE), has undertaken numerous initiatives in Brunei, including language courses across 14 institutions, Ottoman calligraphy workshops, storytelling sessions, Turkish film screenings, archery courses, and Turkish cooking shows aired on Radio Television Brunei.

The Turkish language course, held from July 2 to December 3, was organized in partnership with the MPRT’s Tourism Development Department, the Turkish Embassy, and the Institute of Brunei Technical Education.

The course aims to enhance the skills of tourist guides and hotel frontliners, enabling them to better cater to Turkish-speaking visitors and provide an enriched experience for tourists.

Deputy Permanent Secretary I at the MPRT, Haji Mohd Yusree bin Haji Junaidi, served as the guest of honor and presented certificates to the course participants.

This initiative is part of the MPRT’s ongoing efforts to improve hospitality and tourism services, with new training programs being introduced to raise industry standards and enhance visitor experiences.