Türkiye marks first school break with tributes to Atatürk

ISTANBUL

Nearly 18 million students across Türkiye started their first midterm break of the academic year after the final school bell rang on Nov. 7, marking the beginning of a weeklong holiday that will combine rest and travel.

Set to run until Nov. 14, the break coincides with Nov. 10, when the nation pauses to honor Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Türkiye, on the day of his passing in 1938.

The Education Ministry advanced school ceremonies this year to ensure commemorations were held before the holiday on Nov. 7, encouraging students to reflect on Atatürk’s legacy and the values of the republic.

As part of activities linking the period of honoring Atatürk's memory on Nov. 10 with National Afforestation Day on Nov. 11, students across all grades prepared message cards about patriotism and Atatürk’s vision to attach to saplings during tree-planting events.

With the midterm aligning with Nov. 10, many families are starting their holiday with visits to Anıtkabir, Atatürk’s mausoleum in Ankara.

Tour operators report a surge in one-day and weekend tours to the capital, where visitors also plan stops at the first parliament building, the Ethnography Museum and the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations.

After the memorial visits, families are heading to holiday destinations.

Holidaymakers primarily prefer all-inclusive resorts in Antalya, along with thermal destinations such as Afyonkarahisar and Denizli. Other preferred routes include Nevşehir’s Cappadocia, İzmir’s Şirince and the Black Sea highlands.

This holiday rush has provided a timely boost for Türkiye’s tourism sector.

According to Hakan Saatçioğlu, head of a hotel managers association, hotels in Antalya have reached 95 percent occupancy, helped by mild weather and rising domestic demand.

Kaan Kaşif Kavaloğlu, chair of the Mediterranean Touristic Hoteliers Association (AKTOB), said the timing of the school break gave the industry “a late-season lifeline.”

“The weather in Antalya is still ideal, and it’s too early for winter tourism. Families are taking this chance for one last summer-like vacation,” he said.

Hotel operators have introduced special packages featuring children’s workshops, sports activities and discounted spa services for parents.

Students will return to class on Nov. 17. The first semester will end on Jan. 16 next year, followed by a two-week winter holiday from Jan. 19 to Jan. 30. The second semester will begin on Feb. 2 and continue until June 26, with another midterm break scheduled for March 16-20.

Türkiye introduced the two midterm breaks system in 2019 to help reduce fatigue among students and teachers, a change that now influences not only the academic calendar but also the rhythm of the country’s tourism season.