Coşkun Yılmaz Appointed Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism

Dr. Coşkun Yılmaz, President of the Turkish Manuscripts Institution, has been appointed to the position of Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism.

The appointment was made by Presidential Decree No. 2026/273, published in the Official Gazette No. 33356 dated August 31, 2026. The decree states that Yılmaz was appointed in accordance with Articles 2 and 3 of the Presidential Decree No. 3. The appointment was also confirmed by various news sources on the same day.

Yılmaz's new role is noteworthy not only as a change in upper management in the tourism sector but also due to his background in cultural heritage and tourism management.

From Istanbul Tourism Management to the Manuscripts Institution

Coşkun Yılmaz graduated from the History Department of Istanbul University Faculty of Arts in 1989. He completed his master's degree at Marmara University and his doctorate at Sakarya University.

Yılmaz began his professional career in 1990 as an archivist at the Prime Ministry Ottoman Archives Department; in the following years, he held various positions in education, publishing, culture, and communication. He also worked as a faculty member in the History Teaching Department of Marmara University Atatürk Faculty of Education.

One of the most significant periods of his tourism experience in public administration was at the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism.

Yılmaz took on this role in 2017 and served for nearly seven years in Istanbul's cultural, historical heritage, museology, and tourism efforts. In 2024, he was appointed President of the Turkish Manuscripts Institution. The institution's own statement also confirms Yılmaz's appointment and assumption of office.

A Distinct Career in Cultural Heritage

Yılmaz's career highlights a focus on cultural heritage, history, archives, and publishing rather than just tourism promotion.

He has taken on editorial, writing, or coordination roles in projects such as the Istanbul Kadı Registers, the Great Istanbul History, and various history-culture publications. The Tourism Newspaper also reports that his work on the Istanbul Kadı Registers project was awarded in 2013.

As President of the Turkish Manuscripts Institution, he managed institutional activities related to the preservation, restoration, cataloging, research accessibility, and publication of manuscripts.

Due to this background, the new appointment particularly resonates with the Ministry's cultural heritage policies.

However, a current and detailed distribution of responsibilities regarding which directorates or policy areas Yılmaz will be responsible for as Deputy Minister has not yet been published.

Therefore, comments such as "he will be responsible for museums," "he will manage tourism investments," or he will take over a specific file cannot be used as verified information at this stage.

Other Senior Appointments in the Same Official Gazette

The Official Gazette dated August 31 includes not only the appointment in the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Changes were also made in the management of the Information Technologies and Communications Authority and the State Airports Authority in the same decision package. The decree No. 2026/274 states that Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Batuhan Mumcu has been appointed as a member of the BTK Board, while Fatih Çakmak has been appointed as the General Director and Chairman of the Board of DHMİ.

Thus, Yılmaz's appointment can be considered part of a broader upper-level change in public administration that took place on the same day.

What Should Be Monitored in the Tourism Sector?

Unlike many other countries, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism manages cultural policies and tourism management under the same roof.

Therefore, the distribution of responsibilities among the Deputy Ministers can affect quite different sectors such as:

cultural heritage,

museums and archaeological sites,

promotion,

tourism investments,

the accommodation sector,

cinema and cultural industries,

libraries and publishing.

How Yılmaz's field experience from the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism and his cultural heritage background at the Turkish Manuscripts Institution will translate into responsibilities in his new role will become clearer with the distribution of duties the Ministry will announce in the upcoming period.