Summary : As The International Ecotourism Society, we organize an annual conference, the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference (ESTC) and Business to Business Networking Event that is a widely considered the most important conference in ecotourism. The first ESTC took place in 2004 and this year, we will hold the 16th ESTC in one of the best ecological destinations of Turkey, the beautiful town of Tokat. The conference will take place by 27 July of 2021. Attendees will be able to see, feel, touch, cook and eat while having an educational sightseeing tours in Turkey. Explore Turkey in all natural way and experience what it’s like to taste the produce, fresh off their branches, organically. Our program covers most of unique and natural destinations of beautiful Tokat, Turkey.

On this Fam trip, you will probably see the most beautiful natural habitats on earth of Black Sea Region visiting all historically rich and naturally pristine districts, ecological venues with perfect organic farming samples that will make you forget all about other trips you have made to the ecological destinations, collecting many memorable and unforgettable moments

Route : TOKAT – AMASYA - TRABZON - RIZE - ARTVIN - ERZURUM

DAY 1: Tokat Arrival Day (27 July 2021, Tuesday)
Welcome Dinner Included

Arrival day via Sivas or Tokat Airport for our Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference and Networking Event. Check-in to the Hotel. City sight-seeing if you would like to have it on your own, walking through the promenade leisurely prior to the main attraction. Welcome Dinner and overnight at the Dedeman Hotel.

DAY 2: Tokat Downtown Tour & Ecotourism Speaker Sessions – TIES Award Reception - (28 July 2021, Wednesday)
Gala Dinner, Breakfast, Lunch Included

Today, after an early breakfast, we will have a short City Tour visiting the famous Tokat Castle, two major and awarded Museums (historical and ethnographical) in downtown area along with Wooden Historical Residences all around us. We will witness 900 years of history in 900 steps. After the City Tour, we will have a lunch and come back to the hotel. Registrations will take place by 13:00 and until 13:30. Opening Ceremony to start by 13:30. Break-out Ecotourism sessions along with Keynote Speeches will start at 14:00 and last up until 18:00. You will have coffee breaks in between the sessions. By 19.00, there will be The Ecotourism Award Ceremony Reception. The winners will be declared upon and we will present their awards to the winners. By 21.00, we will have Gala Dinner served. Overnight at the hotel. 

DAY 3: Ecological Tour & Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference and Networking Event (29 July 2021, Thursday)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Included

Today, after the breakfast, we will have trio sessions of B2B Meetings along with break-out sessions on certain topics by Ecotourism experts plus Keynote Authority Speaker sessions throughout the day from. Break-out Ecotourism along with Keynote Speeches to be performed between 10.00 and 18.00 B2B Networking Sessions between Buyers and Exhibitors to be performed between 13.00 and 18.00. During the B2B Networking sessions, All our exhibitors to be present at their tables while Hosted buyers to visit them in person. By 19.30, we will have dinner served. Overnight at the Dedeman hotel.

DAY 4: Lake Almus, A traditional Village Visit & Peach Picking, Village Dinner and Turkish Bath (30 July 2021, Friday)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Included

After breakfast, we will see Lake Almus, one of the largest lakes of Turkey where we will witness the variety of fish on a walking tour and after an Al Fresco lunch by the water, we will visit a village to enjoy all natural & organic food along with villagers and take a part in Folk and traditional dances, depart for peach and seasonal veggie-fruit picking at its source. Attendees will enjoy nature up close that empathize the sense of being part of the soil. Eating the peaches fresh off the branch appreciating the greatness and witness the earth. Afterwards, we will be having authentic Cuisine samples for dinner and you are cooking! Today, we will see the honored and hospitable villagers’ working conditions and cooking methods, witnessing their farm life. We will see the domestic animals all around us. An opportunity to have a perfect finish with a SPA experience at a classical Turkish Bath. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 5 : Daily Amasya Tour - Tokat (31 July 2021, Saturday)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Included

After breakfast, we depart for Amasya tour. Amasya is one of the provinces which is distinct both with its natural set-up and historical values that it holds. It was the homeland of the famous geographer Strabo. Located in a narrow cleft of the Yesilirmak (Iris) river, it has a history of 3000 years during which many civilizations left priceless remains of their times. The ruins of the citadel on the rock face of the cleft shelters, 2000-year-old water-channels, 1000-year-old bridges, an ancient mental hospital, an Ottoman Palace and a secret underground passage way. Dinner and overnight in Tokat.

DAY 6: Tour of Ballica Cave and Zile Castle Tour. (01 August 2021, Sunday)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Included

After breakfast, we will be visiting famous Ballica Caves that is known to have healing powers for Asthma patients. Then, depart for Zile where the famous saying of “Veni Vidi Vici” by Roman Emperor Caesar, took place. Also the traditional homes that have historical texture to every stone. After Zile Tour, depart for Unye. Overnight in Unye.

DAY 7 – Trabzon Sumela Monastery Tour (02 August 2021, Monday)
Breakfast, Dinner Included

After the breakfast, we depart for Sumela Monastery to visit the 4th century Sumela Monastery, clings to a sheer cliff face in a deep forest, relax beside a fast flowing stream at Altindere Valley National Park, lunch and continue traveling along the old Silk Road through the Zigana Mountains that will take us to Karaca Cave, considered to be the most beautiful in Turkey for its colors and formations, return to Trabzon. Dinner and overnight in Trabzon.

DAY 8 – Trabzon Uzungol (03 August 2021, Tuesday)
Breakfast, Dinner Included

After the breakfast, depart for St. Sophia (Ayasofya), a 13th century church and study extraordinary collection of byzantine frescoes, depart for Gulbahar Hatun Mosque, Castle and Ataturk's Mansion, a picturesque hilside retreat, visit Ortahisar Mosque, a Comnenus cathedral in the old town, Girls' Monastery, a nunnery built by Alexios III in 13.th century. Enjoy the panoramic view of the city from Boztepe. Depart for Uzungol, one of the most photogenic locations in the region, lunch at a fish restaurant, further sightseeing and then dinner & overnight at Trabzon.

DAY 9 – Rize Firtina Valley, Ayder (04 August 2021, Wednesday)
Breakfast, Dinner Included

After the breakfast, depart for Ayder, visit botanic garden and have a panoramic view of Rize, drive to Camlihemsin through the beautiful Firtina Valley, enjoy the panorama with many of waterfalls, stone bridges on the valley and lush green forests on the foothills of the magnificent Kackar Mountains, lunch and sightseeing in Ayder. Dinner and overnight in Ayder.

DAY 10 – Ayder Borcka – Karagol, Artvin - (05 August 2021, Thursday)
Breakfast, Dinner Included

After the breakfast, drive to Artvin, visit Borcka Karagol and ancient Georgian Churches Dolishane, Yeni Rabat (Shetberdi) Church in Ardanuc, you'll be driven beside River Coruh the fastest flowing and best rafting river of Turkey. Dinner and overnight in Artvin.

DAY 11 – Artvin Yusufeli Tour - Erzurum - (06 August 2021, Friday)
Breakfast, Dinner Included

After the breakfast, we keep on driving through the River Coruh Valley that will take us to other Georgian Churches; Ishan, Oshk - Vank and visit Tortum Waterfalls on the way, lunch en-route, Drive to Erzurum. Dinner and overnight in Erzurum.

DAY 12 – Erzurum Tour - (07 August 2021, Saturday)
Dinner, Breakfast Included

After the breakfast, We will take you to visit Selchuk & Mongolian monuments; Cifte Minareli Madrasah, a theological school named for its towering twin minarets, Yakutiye Medrese, built by Mongolian Prince Olcaytu in 1308, topped with a richly tiled minaret. We will also visit Ulu Mosque and Erzurum Castle, Dinner and overnight in Erzurum.

DAY 13: Erzurum, the end of Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference and Networking Event (08 August 2021, Sunday)
Breakfast Included

After breakfast, you will have free time in Erzurum. Today, we depart for Erzurum Airport for our domestic flight to Istanbul and then back to home. We hope you have enjoyed our Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference and Networking Event in Tokat. We hope this was a memorable event for you and looking forward to see you again on another event of ours. Thank you for joining us.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: If you would like to attend to the event, arriving earlier and depart later than the standard program suggests or join to an Istanbul Fam trip, please advise through support@workshoptravelshop.com