With the Proposal on Amending the Tourist Guiding Profession Law and the Law on Travel Agencies and the Association of Travel Agencies, the exam to determine foreign language proficiency in applications for admission to the profession will be held by ÖSYM. In languages that are not included in the ÖSYM exam calendar, examinations can be made by expert and impartial institutions.
CHINESE ARRANGEMENT
For candidates in the Far Eastern languages to be determined, especially Chinese, graduates of associate, bachelor's or master's degree programs of tourist guiding departments of universities, or for those who have graduated from other departments other than the tourist guiding department of universities at least at the undergraduate level, in the languages determined by taking into account the needs of the tourism sector, as necessary. In these cases, there will be no requirement to complete a national or regional tourist guide training program in the designated regions.
There will be no requirement for undergraduate graduates of university art history and archeology departments to participate in the tourist guide training program. These people will be entitled to become regional or national tourist guides, depending on the practice trip they attend, in the foreign language they are successful in, by fulfilling the other specified conditions and successfully completing the practice trip with at least a 100-hour training program within the framework of the procedures and principles determined by the regulation.
Application for admission to the profession will be made to the Ministry. The Ministry will make the necessary examinations within 30 days and issue a license if the application is accepted, and in case of rejected applications, it will notify the applicant with the reason.
Those who have been accepted to the profession despite not meeting the conditions for admission to the profession, those who have been convicted of a crime that prevents admission to the profession, and those who have an obstacle to the profession will be dismissed from the profession by the decision of the Ministry.
Tourist guidance will only be carried out in accordance with the law and professional ethical principles in the foreign languages specified in the work card.
PENALTY OF DISMISSAL
The law also regulated the disciplinary penalties to be applied to tourist guides.
In this context, if the act in question is committed 5 times within 2 years, a temporary ban from the profession will be imposed, and if it is committed 3 times, a penalty of dismissal from the profession will be applied.
Tourist guide fees will be determined and announced by the Ministry, provided that the profession is performed in Turkish, not less than 70 percent of the determined base wage.
Trips made by schools and institutions affiliated to the Ministry of National Education for students, accompanied by teachers and without commercial purposes, will be excluded from the scope of the regulation.
Those who provide guidance services without having a license will be given an administrative fine from 25 thousand liras to 100 thousand liras by the relevant civil administrator, taking into account the number of people served and the characteristics of the region.
During the provision of tourist guide service, if the guide provides any benefit to himself or the person he will direct, in return for being sent to a certain business for shopping purposes without the knowledge and approval of those receiving this service, the local administrative authority will impose an administrative fine of 25 thousand lira to 100 thousand lira. .
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS WILL BE OBLIGED TO PROVIDE ALL KINDS OF INFORMATION DURING THE AUDIT.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism will have the authority to inspect all kinds of business, transactions, activities and accounts of professional organizations and their affiliates through inspectors and controllers when necessary and at least every 3 years.
Professional organizations will be obliged to provide all kinds of information and show documents during the audit.
Body members and staff of professional organizations will be punished as public officials for their criminal acts and actions related to their duties.
Personnel of professional organizations that do not fulfill their obligations, are prosecuted for specified crimes, or are deemed unsafe to remain on duty during inspections may be temporarily suspended from duty by the Ministry for 3 months upon the proposal of the Ministry inspector. If deemed necessary, this period may be extended by the Ministry for another 3 months for once.
Those who are suspended from duty within the scope of this article will return to their duties during the audit or after the completion of the audit, by the decision of the Ministry, or if it is decided that there is no need for prosecution or if they are not convicted.
The salaries of those who are reinstated, which they were deprived of during the period of suspension, will be paid by the professional organization where they are employed, together with legal interest.
If there is a risk of delay in cases where national security, public order, preventing the commission of a crime or its continuation or arresting it is necessary, the bodies of unions and tourist guide chambers may be banned from activity by the Ministry.
The decision to ban the activity will be submitted to the approval of the judge in charge within 24 hours. The judge will announce his decision within 48 hours. Otherwise, this administrative decision will automatically be abolished. The Ministry will be able to follow up the cases filed within the scope of this article as a participant.
Tourist guiding services, activities and their contracts will be regulated by regulation.
TOURIST GUIDES SHOULD CHANGE THEIR GUIDE ID CARD WITH A LICENSE
Tourist guides were allowed to replace their guide ID cards with a license under certain conditions.
By law, those who replace their guidance ID card with a license will be required to bring a document regarding foreign language proficiency; Otherwise, they will be able to practice their profession as Turkish tourist guides. Those who document their foreign language proficiency will be able to practice their profession in the language they are successful in by obtaining a work card.
If travel agencies provide benefits for themselves or the person they refer in return for sending their customers to a business for shopping purposes without their knowledge and approval, their documents will be canceled and they will not be able to work as a travel agency for 5 years.
On the other hand, Article 11, which includes the regulation for "Promotional services to be provided in museums, historical sites and registered cultural assets in the country within the scope of package tours and tours, to be provided by tourist guides in these areas" was removed from the proposal.
