The Pioneering City of Civilizations and Tourism
Izmir, with its historical, cultural, and economic texture that spearheaded the establishment and development of various civilizations, has represented the multiculturalism of our country for centuries and has continuously led the development of Turkish tourism in every aspect.
Our city, holding the identity of carrying semi-industrial products to world ports through an export port that defies time, had the chance to meet the concept of “world citizen” before tourism, thanks to its foreign language educational institutions dating back to the 19th century.
“Levantine” Our city, which brought the word to the world, shared multiculturalism socially, culturally, and economically with the globe, and sustained communication friendships with different cultures with centuries of accumulation.
The Results of a Deep-Rooted Heritage
"It is no coincidence that the Skål spirit is so welcomed in Izmir, which hosts one of the Seven Wonders of the World and UNESCO World Heritages."
Izmir's rich history, housing UNESCO heritages like Ephesus, entering the tentative list in 2020 as the 'Historical Port City,' and sustainable tourism goals like Green Destinations will solidify the city's cultural and historical identity in the international arena during the 2025-2028 process.
Izmir's UNESCO and Tourism Development Process
Izmir Historical Port City
The region covering Kemeraltı, Basmane, and their surroundings entered the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in 2020. This project aims to preserve the commercial heritage stretching from the Hellenistic period to the present day.
UNESCO Heritages
In 2015, the Ancient City of Ephesus, Çukuriçi Mound, Ayasuluk Hill, and the House of the Virgin Mary entered the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Our History
Skål International Izmir Club was established by visionary tourism professionals following the General Assembly held at Izmir Kilim Hotel on March 16, 1966.
Our Founding Members
Our club, standing as the third Skål club established in Turkey after Istanbul and Ankara, had its first president as the Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism of that era, Hüseyin Avni Sezer.
Milestones and Our Presidents
Its Present and Strength
Today, Skål International Izmir Club, consisting of 75 members, continues to create a powerful family and communication network that guides city tourism by blending universal principles with local values.
Multicultural Structure
Languages spoken among our members;
Fields of Activity
- City, Resort and Boutique Hotel Management
- Incoming, Outgoing and Ingoing Travel Agencies
- Health Tourism, Agro-Tourism, and Eco-Tourism
- Museology, Transportation, Rent a Car, and Catering
- Tourism Writing, Blogging, and Consulting
Our Awards and Impact
- 1995Izmir Club became the founding sponsor of the Bodrum club in 1991 and the Kuşadası clubs in 1995.
- 2019We became the first NGO to receive the Artemis Awareness Honorary Award for our contributions to Izmir's tourism.
- 2020We were selected as the “2nd Best Skal Club in the World” leaving behind 19 competing clubs from 7 continents and 103 countries.
The Tourism Vision of Skål International Izmir
To make Izmir the focal point of international tourism through the synergy created with all stakeholder NGO representatives it harbors, thanks to its deep historical texture, cultural heritage, and sustainable tourism efforts.
World Congress
The Skål International World Congress takes place every year in a different destination around the world, hosted by a club and attended by tourism professional members of the association. The impact of this top-segment event on the host city goes far beyond a classic congress.
Playing a 'catalyst' role, especially in terms of MICE and destination branding, the organization provides economic contribution and strong global promotion in the short term thanks to high-spending international tourism professionals. In the long term, it sparks new collaborations, tour packages, and a demand for sustainable tourism across all segments—particularly MICE, gastronomy, cultural and experiential tourism.
Skål International Izmir Club first became a candidate under the leadership of Berrin Uşkay to host this prestigious organization in 2017, but the race was won by Hyderabad, India. Persisting in its efforts with determination after this experience, Izmir achieved its dream in 2022. Through the dedicated works of the board led by Güner Güney, it surpassed Bucharest (Romania), St. Petersburg (Russia), and Kolkata (India), demonstrating a great success to host this prestigious congress for the third time in Turkey (following 1993 Istanbul and 2007 Antalya) and for the first time in Izmir in 2024. The interaction generated by this event triggered an important leap for the city's promotion and tourism.
Twinning Clubs
The Skål International Twinning Clubs application is the formal pairing of Skål clubs in different countries to establish long-term cooperation. Through these pairings, clubs develop information sharing, joint events, reciprocal visits, and commercial opportunities.
In this way, international networking and business development accelerate between twinning clubs, tourism flows and promotional activities increase between destinations, and connections are built for members that turn into concrete commercial opportunities. Briefly put, Twinning is one of the most visible instruments reflecting the 'Doing Business Among Friendship' approach of the Skål movement.
The Skål International Izmir club currently has twinning agreements with Skål International Atlanta, Skål International Rome, and Skål International Cape Town clubs.