The International Tourism Cartoons Competition is an international cartoon contest established in 2009 to promote the interpretation of tourism-related issues through the medium of cartoon art. Widely recognized as the first and only international cartoon competition devoted exclusively to tourism, the event encourages artists to explore the economic, social, cultural, environmental, and political dimensions of tourism through visual satire and artistic expression.

The competition was first organized in 2009 through the collaboration of the Association of Tourism Writers and Journalists (TUYED), the Research and Application Center for Cartoon Art of Anadolu University, and Anatolia: An International Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Research. In subsequent years, the organization of the competition was assumed by the Anatolia Tourism Academy. Throughout its history, the competition has received support from public institutions, local governments, tourism enterprises, universities, and non-governmental organizations.

The primary objectives of the competition are to encourage artistic reflection on tourism-related phenomena, raise awareness of contemporary issues affecting the tourism industry, provide a platform for intercultural dialogue among cartoonists from different countries, and support the development of young artists. In addition, the competition functions as a cultural initiative contributing to the promotion of tourism destinations and tourism awareness.

During its early years, the competition was organized under the general theme of “tourism.” Beginning in 2014, specific annual themes were introduced. These themes have included All-Inclusive System, Tourism and Peace, The Future of Tourism, Tourism of the Future, Holidays from Past to Present, Travel Memories, Airport, COVID-19 and Tourism, Employees in the Tourism Industry, Women in the Tourism Sector, Space Tourism, Relationships Between Tourists and Local Residents in Holiday Destinations, Being a Tourist in Istanbul, and Şanlıurfa: A Century in Every Step, A Secret in Every Century. These themes have enabled participants to address emerging issues and changing realities within global tourism.

Initially conducted as a single-category competition, the event later expanded to include separate Adult and Youth categories. Awards in the Adult Category typically include first, second, and third prizes, as well as the Prof. Atila Özer Special Award. Additional special awards have been presented in certain years. The Youth Category generally includes first, second, and third prizes. The Prof. Atila Özer Special Award was established in recognition of Prof. Dr. Atila Özer’s contributions to cartoon art and to the development of the competition.

The competition rapidly gained international recognition and attracted participants from Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Oceania. In some editions, more than seventy countries were represented, with hundreds of artists submitting works and total entries exceeding one thousand cartoons. The event has therefore become one of the most internationally diverse cartoon competitions organized in Türkiye.

Beyond being an artistic contest, the International Tourism Cartoons Competition has evolved into a cultural platform addressing contemporary tourism issues, social developments, and international relations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, the competition provided a venue for artists to comment on the unprecedented challenges faced by global tourism. The event has also promoted intercultural understanding by bringing together artists from diverse cultural, political, and geographic backgrounds and encouraging messages of dialogue, coexistence, and peace.

Between 2009 and 2025, seventeen editions of the competition were organized, attracting thousands of cartoonists from more than seventy countries. Members of the international juries have included cartoonists, academics, tourism professionals, and cultural practitioners from countries such as Argentina, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Colombia, France, Greece, Iran, Italy, Japan, North Macedonia, Romania, Türkiye, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. While the first five editions focused on tourism as a general theme, subsequent editions adopted specific annual themes and introduced the Youth Category, broadening the scope and educational impact of the competition.

Award-winning and selected cartoons have been exhibited in various venues and published in catalogues and competition albums. Owing to its exclusive focus on tourism, the International Tourism Cartoons Competition occupies a distinctive position among international cartoon contests and is regarded as a significant cultural initiative contributing to tourism awareness, destination promotion, and international cultural exchange.

The 1st International Tourism Cartoons Competition

The competition was organized in 2009 through the collaboration of the Association of Tourism Writers and Journalists (TUYED), the Research and Application Center for Cartoon Art of Anadolu University, and Anatolia: An International Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Research. A total of 599 cartoons were submitted by 269 artists from 50 countries. The award ceremony was held in Istanbul on 11 February 2010.

Awards: No first prize was awarded. The second prize was awarded to Oleg Goutsol (Belarus), while the third prize went to Jordan Pop-Iliev (North Macedonia). Honorable Mention Awards were presented to Ömer Çam (Türkiye), Mehmet Zeber (Türkiye), Valeriu Kurtu (Germany), Luc Vernimmen (Belgium), and Vladimir Kazanevsky (Ukraine).

Jury Members: Ahmet Aykanat (Türkiye), Athanasios Efthimaiadis (Greece), Atila Özer (Türkiye), Bülent Çelik (Türkiye), Fehmi Köfteoğlu (Türkiye), Kamil Yavuz (Türkiye), Nazmi Kozak (Türkiye), Osman Nihat Aydoğan (Türkiye), and Rahim Baggal Asghari (Iran). 

The 2nd International Tourism Cartoons Competition

The competition was organized in 2010. A total of 404 cartoons were submitted by 195 artists from 42 countries. The award ceremony was held in Istanbul on 10 February 2011 as part of the EMITT Tourism Exhibition.

Awards: The first prize was awarded to Mehmet Kahraman (Türkiye), the second prize to Oleksiy Kustovsky (Ukraine), and the third prize to Ross Thomson (United Kingdom). Honorable Mention Awards were presented to Gerhard Gepp (Austria), İ. Serdar Sayar (Türkiye), Kambiz Derambakhsh (Iran), Stefan Daspodov (Bulgaria), and Shahram Rezaei (Iran).

Jury Members: Atila Özer (Türkiye), Bayram Hacızade (Azerbaijan), Bülent Çelik (Türkiye), Eray Özbek (Türkiye), Fehmi Köfteoğlu (Türkiye), Hüseyin Çakmak (TRNC), İbrahim Yazar (Türkiye), Nazmi Kozak (Türkiye), Nezih Danyal (Türkiye), Osman Nihat Aydoğan (Türkiye), and Yoshiaki Yokota (Japan). 

The 3rd International Tourism Cartoons Competition

The competition was organized in 2011 under the general theme of tourism. A total of 405 cartoons were submitted by 163 artists from 39 countries. The award ceremony was held in Istanbul on 9 February 2012 as part of the EMITT Tourism Exhibition.

Awards: Abbas Naaseri (Iran) received the first prize, Louis Pol (Australia) the second prize, and Gerhard Gepp (Austria) the third prize. Honorable Mention Awards were presented to Damir Novak (Croatia), Helmut Jacek (Germany), Jiri Srna (Czech Republic), Ömer Çam (Türkiye), and Trayko Popov (Bulgaria). The Prof. Atila Özer Special Award was presented to Mehmet Kahraman (Türkiye).

Jury Members: Bayram Hacızade (Azerbaijan), Bülent Çelik (Türkiye), Eray Özbek (Türkiye), Fehmi Köfteoğlu (Türkiye), Hüseyin Çakmak (TRNC), İbrahim Yazar (Türkiye), Nazmi Kozak (Türkiye), Nezih Danyal (Türkiye), Osman Nihat Aydoğan (Türkiye), and Yoshiaki Yokota (Japan). 

The 4th International Tourism Cartoons Competition

The competition was organized in 2012 under the general theme of tourism. A total of 692 cartoons were submitted by 312 artists from 72 countries. The award ceremony was held at the Istanbul Modern Exhibition Hall on 5 April 2013.

Awards: Klaus Pitter (Austria) won the first prize, Ahmet Aykanat (Türkiye) the second prize, and Norbert Van Yperzeele (Belgium) the third prize. The Prof. Atila Özer Special Award was presented to Alla and Chavdar Georgiev (Bulgaria). Honorable Mention Awards were presented to Darko Drljevic (Montenegro), Arif Sutristanto (Indonesia), Damir Novak (Croatia), Jovan Prokopljevic (Serbia), and Ahmet Öztürklevent (Türkiye).

Jury Members: Abbas Naaseri (Iran), Bülent Çelik (Türkiye), Eray Özbek (Türkiye), Fehmi Köfteoğlu (Türkiye), Hüseyin Çakmak (TRNC), İbrahim Yazar (Türkiye), Mehmet Kahraman (Türkiye), Nazmi Kozak (Türkiye), Osman Nihat Aydoğan (Türkiye), and Yoshiaki Yokota (Japan). 

The 5th International Tourism Cartoons Competition

The competition was organized in 2013 under the general theme of tourism. A total of 705 cartoons were submitted by 323 artists from 57 countries. The award ceremony was held at Club Calimera Serra Palace in Manavgat, Antalya, on 25 April 2014.

Awards: Andrei Popov (Russian Federation) won the first prize, Felipe Galindo (United States) the second prize, and Sergei Semendyaev (Ukraine) the third prize. The Prof. Atila Özer Special Award was presented to Luc Vernimmen (Belgium). Honorable Mention Awards were presented to Pavel Constantin (Romania), Engin Selçuk (Türkiye), Cemalettin Güzeloğlu (Türkiye), Stefaan Provijn (Belgium), and Santiago Cornejo (Argentina).

Jury Members: Ahmet Aykanat (Türkiye), Bülent Çelik (Türkiye), Fehmi Köfteoğlu (Türkiye), George Licurici (Romania), Hüseyin Çakmak (TRNC), İbrahim Yazar (Türkiye), Mehmet Kahraman (Türkiye), Natasa S. Kostovska (North Macedonia), Nazmi Kozak (Türkiye), and Osman Nihat Aydoğan (Türkiye).

The 6th International Tourism Cartoons Competition

The theme of the competition was “All-Inclusive System.” A total of 915 cartoons were submitted by 489 artists from 60 countries. The award ceremony was held in Antalya on 24 April 2015.

Adult Category: First Prize: Pavel Gabriel Virgil (Romania); Second Prize: Oleksiy Kustovsky (Ukraine); Third Prize: Trayko Popov (Bulgaria). The Prof. Atila Özer Special Award was presented to Heibat Ahmadi (Iran).

Youth Category: First Prize: Sıla Eroğul (Türkiye). Honorable Mention Awards were presented to Arda Yılmaz (Türkiye), Ekim Sarraç (Türkiye), Melisa Demircan (Türkiye), Nehir Ergüven (Türkiye), and Yasemin Güler (Türkiye).

Jury Members: Ahmet Aykanat (Türkiye), Bernard Bouton (France), Fehmi Köfteoğlu (Türkiye), George Licurici (Romania), Hüseyin Çakmak (TRNC), Leila Alaiy (Iran), Mehmet Kahraman (Türkiye), Natasa S. Kostovska (North Macedonia), Nazmi Kozak (Türkiye), and Osman Nihat Aydoğan (Türkiye). 

The 7th International Tourism Cartoons Competition

The theme of the competition was “Tourism and Peace.” A total of 895 cartoons were submitted by 445 artists from 67 countries. The award ceremony was held in Istanbul on 7 May 2016.

Adult Category: First Prize: Olena Tsuranova (Ukraine); Second Prize: Mehdi Azizi (Iran); Third Prize: Galym Boranbayev (Kazakhstan). The Prof. Atila Özer Special Award was presented to Alla and Chavdar Georgiev (Bulgaria).

Youth Category: First Prize: Mehmet Ali Mesut (Türkiye). Honorable Mention Awards were presented to Bartu Tekinkaya (Türkiye), Büşra Esen (Türkiye), and Mehmet Deniz Hubup (Türkiye).

Jury Members: Ahmet Aykanat (Türkiye), Bernard Bouton (France), Fehmi Köfteoğlu (Türkiye), George Licurici (Romania), Hüseyin Çakmak (TRNC), Leila Alaiy (Iran), Luc Vernimmen (Belgium), Mehmet Kahraman (Türkiye), Nazmi Kozak (Türkiye), and Osman Nihat Aydoğan (Türkiye). 

The 8th International Tourism Cartoons Competition

The theme of the competition was “The Future of Tourism, Tourism of the Future.” A total of 920 cartoons were submitted by 475 artists from 63 countries. The award ceremony was held in Istanbul on 20 May 2017.

Adult Category: No First Prize was awarded. Second Prize: Oleksiy Kustovsky (Ukraine); Third Prize: Ali Shafei (Iran). The Prof. Atila Özer Special Award was presented to Hilal Özcan (Türkiye).

Youth Category: First Prize: Giray Mert Keçeci (Türkiye). Honorable Mention Awards were presented to Nina Khmelyova (Russian Federation) and Cennet Külcü (Türkiye).

Jury Members: Ahmet Aykanat (Türkiye), Bernard Bouton (France), Fehmi Köfteoğlu (Türkiye), Leila Alaiy (Iran), Luc Vernimmen (Belgium), Mehmet Kahraman (Türkiye), Nazmi Kozak (Türkiye), Paolo Dalponte (Italy), Raşit Yakalı (Türkiye), and Seyran Caferli (Azerbaijan). 

The 9th International Tourism Cartoons Competition

The theme of the competition was “Holidays from Past to Present.” A total of 1,101 cartoons were submitted by 584 artists from 62 countries. The award ceremony was held in İzmir on 26 April 2018.

Adult Category: First Prize: Mohsen Zarifian (Iran); Second Prize: Cemalettin Güzeloğlu (Türkiye); Third Prize: Soltan Soltanli (Azerbaijan) and Darko Drljevic (Montenegro). The Prof. Atila Özer Special Award was presented to Halit Kurtulmuş (Türkiye).

Youth Category: First Prize: Zahra Omidi (Iran). Honorable Mention Awards were presented to Duygu Duş (Türkiye) and Mir Ali Baydaş (Türkiye).

Jury Members: Ahmet Aykanat (Türkiye), Elena Ospina (Colombia), Fehmi Köfteoğlu (Türkiye), Leila Alaiy (Iran), Luc Vernimmen (Belgium), Mehmet Kahraman (Türkiye), Nazmi Kozak (Türkiye), Paolo Dalponte (Italy), Raşit Yakalı (Türkiye), and Vladimir Kazanevsky (Ukraine). 

The 10th International Tourism Cartoons Competition

The theme of the competition was “Travel Memories.” A total of 1,331 cartoons were submitted by 673 artists from 61 countries. The award ceremony was held in İzmir on 27 April 2019.

Adult Category: First Prize: Kürşat Zaman (Türkiye); Second Prize: Konstantin Kazanchev (Ukraine); Third Prize: Serpil Kar (Türkiye). The Prof. Atila Özer Special Award was presented to Mahmood Azadnia (Iran).

Youth Category: First Prize: Elif Kayra Eşin (Türkiye). Honorable Mention Awards were presented to Emre Barut (Türkiye) and Hayrunnisa Fırat (Türkiye).

Jury Members: Ahmet Aykanat (Türkiye), Elena Ospina (Colombia), Fehmi Köfteoğlu (Türkiye), Leila Alaiy (Iran), Luc Vernimmen (Belgium), Mehmet Kahraman (Türkiye), Nazmi Kozak (Türkiye), Paolo Dalponte (Italy), Raşit Yakalı (Türkiye), and Vladimir Kazanevsky (Ukraine). 

The 11th International Tourism Cartoons Competition

The theme of the competition was “Airport.” A total of 1,284 cartoons were submitted by 733 artists from 56 countries. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the award ceremony was postponed and eventually held in Istanbul on 26 November 2021.

Adult Category: First Prize: Valeriu Kurtu (Germany); Second Prize: Sait Munzur (Türkiye); Third Prize: Ross Thomson (United Kingdom) and Ivailo Tsvetkov (Bulgaria). The Prof. Atila Özer Special Award was presented to Oleksiy Kustovsky (Ukraine).

Youth Category: First Prize: Ümmühan Zeynep Akyürek (Türkiye); Second Prize: Poyraz Din (Türkiye); Third Prize: İnci Bilgen (Türkiye).

Jury Members: Ahmet Aykanat (Türkiye), Elena Ospina (Colombia), Fehmi Köfteoğlu (Türkiye), Leila Alaiy (Iran), Luc Vernimmen (Belgium), Mehmet Kahraman (Türkiye), Nazmi Kozak (Türkiye), Paolo Dalponte (Italy), Raşit Yakalı (Türkiye), and Vladimir Kazanevsky (Ukraine).

The 12th International Tourism Cartoons Competition

The theme of the competition was “COVID-19 and Tourism.” The competition was organized in two categories: Adult and Youth. A total of 1,324 cartoons were submitted by 704 artists from 64 countries. The award ceremony was held at the Sheraton Kağıthane Hotel in Istanbul on 26 November 2021.

Adult Category: First Prize: Efat Amjadipoor (Iran); Second Prize: Ali Rastroo (Iran); Third Prize: Stefaan Provijn (Belgium). The Prof. Atila Özer Special Award was presented to Javad Takjoo (Iran).

Youth Category: First Prize: Eren Göncüler (Türkiye); Second Prize: Kirill Usachev (Russian Federation); Third Prize: İrem Satır (Türkiye).

Jury Members: Ahmet Aykanat (Türkiye), Elena Ospina (Colombia), Fehmi Köfteoğlu (Türkiye), Leila Alaiy (Iran), Luc Vernimmen (Belgium), Mehmet Kahraman (Türkiye), Nazmi Kozak (Türkiye), Paolo Dalponte (Italy), Raşit Yakalı (Türkiye), and Vladimir Kazanevsky (Ukraine). 

The 13th International Tourism Cartoons Competition

The theme of the competition was “Employees in the Tourism Industry.” The competition was organized in two categories: Adult and Youth. A total of 744 cartoons were submitted by 400 artists from 56 countries. The award ceremony was held at the Titanic Beach Lara Hotel in Antalya on 13 May 2022.

Adult Category: First Prize: Nikola Listes (Croatia); Second Prize: Alla and Chavdar Georgiev (Bulgaria); Third Prize: Engin Selçuk (Türkiye). The Prof. Atila Özer Special Award was presented to Marco De Angelis (Italy).

Youth Category: First Prize: Hassti Soltani (Iran); Second Prize: Ümmühan Zeynep Akyürek (Türkiye); Third Prize: Poyraz Din (Türkiye).

Jury Members: Ahmet Aykanat (Türkiye), Elena Ospina (Colombia), Fehmi Köfteoğlu (Türkiye), Leila Alaiy (Iran), Luc Vernimmen (Belgium), Mehmet Kahraman (Türkiye), Nazmi Kozak (Türkiye), Paolo Dalponte (Italy), Raşit Yakalı (Türkiye), and Vladimir Kazanevsky (Ukraine). 

The 14th International Tourism Cartoons Competition

The Adult Category theme was “Women in the Tourism Sector,” while the Youth Category theme was “Space Tourism.” The competition was organized in two categories: Adult and Youth. A total of 614 cartoons were submitted by 357 artists from 45 countries. The award ceremony was held in Petra, Jordan, on 9 August 2023.

Adult Category: First Prize: Ali Rastroo (Iran); Second Prize: Omar Zevallos Velarde (Peru); Third Prize: Jordan Pop-Iliev (North Macedonia). The Prof. Atila Özer Special Award was presented to Heibat Ahmadi (Iran).

Youth Category: First Prize: Poyraz Din (Türkiye); Second Prize: Ola Wesam Khalil (Egypt); Third Prize: Furkan Aytur (Türkiye).

Jury Members: Ahmet Aykanat (Türkiye), Elena Ospina (Colombia), Fehmi Köfteoğlu (Türkiye), Luc Vernimmen (Belgium), Marco De Angelis (Italy), Mehmet Kahraman (Türkiye), Nazmi Kozak (Türkiye), Omar Perez (Argentina), Shirin Gholipour (Iran), and Vicdan Bulunmaz Özer (Türkiye). 

The 15th International Tourism Cartoons Competition

The theme of the competition was “Relationships Between Tourists and Local Residents in Holiday Destinations.” The competition was organized in two categories: Adult and Youth. A total of 684 cartoons were submitted by 359 artists from 46 countries. The award ceremony was held at the ASKA Lara Resort & Spa Hotel in Antalya on 26 April 2024.

Adult Category: First Prize: Luc Vernimmen (Belgium); Second Prize: Alla and Chavdar Georgiev (Bulgaria); Third Prize: Evžen David (Czech Republic). The Prof. Atila Özer Special Award was presented to Doru Axinte (Romania).

Youth Category: First Prize: Ümmühan Zeynep Akyürek (Türkiye); Second Prize: Sudenur Küçükbaş (Türkiye); Third Prize: Işıl Efe (Türkiye).

Jury Members: Ahmet Aykanat (Türkiye), Fehmi Köfteoğlu (Türkiye), Luc Vernimmen (Belgium), Marco De Angelis (Italy), Mehmet Kahraman (Türkiye), Nazmi Kozak (Türkiye), Omar Perez (Argentina), Shirin Gholipour (Iran), Vicdan Bulunmaz Özer (Türkiye), and Vladimir Kazanevsky (Ukraine). 

The 16th International Tourism Cartoons Competition

The theme of the competition was “Being a Tourist in Istanbul.” A total of 572 cartoons were submitted by 356 artists from 49 countries. The award ceremony was scheduled to be held in Istanbul in October 2025.

Adult Category: First Prize: Mehdi Azizi (Iran); Second Prize: Ömer Çam (Türkiye); Third Prize: Mojmir Mihatov (Croatia). The Prof. Atila Özer Special Award was presented to Alla and Chavdar Georgiev (Bulgaria), while the Fehmi Köfteoğlu Special Award was presented to Galym Boranbayev (Kazakhstan).

Youth Category: First Prize: Mustafa Nasuh Aşık (Türkiye); Second Prize: Defne Demirci (Türkiye); Third Prize: Sudem Duran (Türkiye).

Jury Members: Ahmet Aykanat (Türkiye), Andrea Lacher-Bryk (Austria), Halit Kurtulmuş (Türkiye), Marco De Angelis (Italy), Mehmet Kahraman (Türkiye), Mehmet Tütüncü (Türkiye), Mehmet Zeber (Türkiye), Merve Ofluoğlu (Türkiye), Murteza Albayrak (Türkiye), Necdet Yılmaz (Türkiye), Nuhsal Işın (Türkiye), Omar Perez (Argentina), Ömer Çam (Türkiye), Sait Munzur (Türkiye), Shirin Gholipour (Iran), and Vicdan Bulunmaz Özer (Türkiye). 

The 17th International Tourism Cartoons Competition

The theme of the competition was “Şanlıurfa: A Century in Every Step, A Secret in Every Century.” The competition was organized by the Anatolia Tourism Academy and the Encyclopedia of Turkish Tourism, with the support of Şanlıurfa Metropolitan Municipality. A total of 570 cartoons were submitted by 337 artists from 48 countries. Owing to the war and regional instability in the Middle East, the award ceremony was postponed.

Adult Category: First Prize: Hamid Ghalijari (Iran); Second Prize: Oleksiy Kustovsky (Ukraine); Third Prize: Nahid Maghsoudi (Iran). The Prof. Atila Özer Special Award was presented to Ali Rastroo (Iran).

Youth Category: First Prize: Elif Kıyak (Türkiye); Second Prize: Oğuz Doğan (Türkiye); Third Prize: Defne Demirci (Türkiye).

Jury Members: Ahmet Aykanat (Türkiye), Andrea Lacher-Bryk (Austria), Halit Kurtulmuş (Türkiye), Marco De Angelis (Italy), Mehmet Kahraman (Türkiye), Mehmet Tütüncü (Türkiye), Mehmet Zeber (Türkiye), Merve Ofluoğlu (Türkiye), Murteza Albayrak (Türkiye), Necdet Yılmaz (Türkiye), Nuhsal Işın (Türkiye), Omar Perez (Argentina), Ömer Çam (Türkiye), Sait Munzur (Türkiye), Shirin Gholipour (Iran), and Vicdan Bulunmaz Özer (Türkiye).