Introduction: What is ATA Fellows?

This tourism project, funded by the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, aims at collaboration between tourism academia and practitioners in both countries along with a U.S. institutional partner to research, educate, build and strengthen capacity within the context of sustainable regional tourism development. To that end, a Multilateral University Consortium to Strengthen Tourism Education, Research and Industry Outreach was formulated and branded as the American, Turkish, and Armenian Fellows (ATA Fellows). ATA Fellows are energized with Eleanor Roosevelt's philosophy:

"It isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. 
And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it."

The prospect of promoting cultural understanding, mutual respect and peace via travel and tourism is an extraordinary opportunity to strengthen cross-border relations in regions such as the Caucasus, particularly between Turkey and Armenia whose relations have been strained by a number of historical and political issues. Tourism projects and partnerships between Turkey and Armenia can facilitate the normalization of relations between the two nations. 

Summer 2012: Feildtrip to Ani, Turkey

In the summer of 2012, the ATA fellows, in collaboration with industry stakeholders (particularly in Kars province of Turkey where Ani is located) will organize a 10-day field trip to Ani for U.S., Turkish, and Armenian students. 10 students from each country will visit the cultural site and view the heritage that is shared by both Turkish and Armenian cultures. 

ATA Fellows: Objectives

• To enable higher education in the United States, Turkey, and Armenia.

• To develop and broaden U.S., Turkish, and Armenian institutional cooperation through exchanges of students, faculty members and administrators for the purposes of study, teaching, research and outreach.
  
• To increase understanding between the U.S., Turkey and Armenia through cooperation.
  
• To reinforce the impact of other Department of State programs, including Fulbright.
  
• To support the current foreign policy priorities of the Department of State, especially efforts to promote the normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia, and to improve educational outreach to non-elite populations.