Two Turkish firms, Turquaz Group and Serenas Group, have partnered to create a Christian pilgrimage Tourism package for Nigerian pilgrims at the affordable rate under the mark of Christian Pilgrimage Turkiye.
The packages will ensure those who subscribe to the scheme get the chance to tour important scriptural places in Turkey.
During the tours, the participants will visit sacred places in Turkey such as; Tarsus, Antioch Cappadocia, ands holy Seven Churches of Revelation, as scripted in the Bible, according to the tour packages.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with journalists in Lagos, the Director, Serenas Group, Hakan Biyikli, said, the religious tourism package is in the Footstep of St. Paul in the bible, adding that, there will be free medicalcheck-upsp and treatment throughou the tour specified to visit Tarsus, Antioch and Cappadocia.
Stating that subscription to this package will ensure each pilgrim has access to accommodation at three or four-star hotels, according to the destinations, he added that, lunches and dinners, guided tours (guide for each 40 person) Museum entrance fees! Flight ticket from Ankara to Hatay and Check-up at the state-of-art hospitals – Local taxes, have been included in the package.
On the first day, he said, the pilgrims will be at one of Ankara’s reputable and state-of-the-art hospitals for a comprehensive check-up, leisurely shopping opportunity at popular destinations such as Ankara Forum, AnkaMall, Gordion, and NATA Vega Anatolium offer a range of options.
The second day, he stressed, will see guests board a local flight to Hatay and heads to St. Pierre Church in Hatay that is nestled among rubble and modern structures, a church, dating back almost 2000 years and stands as the first church of Christianity.
“Perched on a hillside, it serves as a poignant beacon of Christianity and a lasting testament to one of the oldest Christian settlements. The church, visited by Paul during his first missionary journey, holds immense historical significance, having witnessed the conversion of a large portion of Antioch’s Jewish inhabitants,” he pointed out.
On the third day, he noted that, the pilgrims will embark on another journey to Tarsus, the birthplace of the Apostle Paul, a city with a history spanning 4,000 years, bearing both well-preserved remnants and weathered Roman walls and houses, evocative of its ancient past, while on the 4th day, they head to the Goreme Open Air Museum.
“Notable sites within the museum include the Monastery of Girls and Boys, the Church of St. Basileus, the Church of Elmalı, the Church of St. Barbara, the Church of the Serpent, the Dark Church, the Church of Çarıklı, and the Buckled Church, where the Bible is vividly depicted from beginning to end.” he stressed.
The fifth day, he stated, sees guests visit the Çavuşin Church, Paşabağ (Keşişler Valley), and Develi (Dervent) Valley as well as a visit to the Derinkuyu and Kaymaklı Underground Cities, an astounding engineering marvel that could sustain life for extended periods and provided refuge to the early Christians during times of oppression and invasions.
On the sixth day, he said, the pilgrims will embark on a brief shopping excursion at a local place offering special products, including wines and unique Cappadocian foods and will depart for Ankara and later visits Ankara Castle and its surroundings as shopping will be organised and a hospital visit will be arranged for participants who are undergoing tests and need consultation, while the 7th day is departure after a unique pilgrimage experience.
To him, “ We are a group of Turkey based companies, collaborating with Turquaz Group which has been operating in Nigeria for more than 10years. Nigeria has a big potentials in our business, so, we are establishing different packages including Christian Pilgrimage package. We believe Turkey is an important part of Christian Pilgrims destination because more than 60 biblical places are located in Turkey. So, we are having a tourism package to visit these places at an affordable rates for Nigerians who wish to be part of this adventure.”
The Vice Chief Executive Officer of Turquaz Health and Secretary General of the International Health Tourism Association, Naci Tamer Hotomaroglu, stated that the consortium is raising awareness about their offerings and seeking collaborations with agencies and sub-agencies in Nigeria for healthcare system training. He revealed that Turquaz Health has formed partnerships with various foundations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and teaching hospitals. He emphasized, “Nigeria is our primary market and target. Consequently, we are collaborating with prominent organizations such as the Ankara Chamber of Commerce, the Organ Transplantation Foundation, and the Health Diplomacy Society, while also trying to establish relationships with governments and businesses.”
Hotomaroglu noted that official figures place the nation’s spending on overseas treatment at $2 billion annually, though unofficial estimates suggest it could be around $10 billion. He added, “At Turquaz Group, along with our strategic partners, we are committed to enhancing Nigeria’s healthcare system through training healthcare professionals and capacity building with healthcare professionals and decision makers, as well as providing standard modern machinery for hospitals.”
“While we strive to improve the Nigerian health system, we also aim to offer the most suitable and high-quality services to our Nigerian brothers and sisters seeking treatment abroad, thereby strengthening the bridge between us. To achieve this, we have established collaborations with many stakeholders, particularly in Nigeria and other African countries,” he concluded.
On her part, the Founding Partner/Chief Executive Officer, Turquaz Health, Sureyya Umran Alinak, disclosed that, her firm is collaborating Abuja Chamber Of Commerce and it is introducing training programmes to medical teaching hospitals in a move to develop the healthcare system in the country.
“We have started introducing programmes to teaching hospitals, exchanging information, sharing information, internship programmes, working exchange programmes and so on. We want to improve Nigeria’s healthcare system, we give onsight medical training systems to, not only doctors or physicians, but all healthcare professionals. Training involving medical teaching hospitals which will start in June, could be two to three years period but we have to start first,” she pointed out.
