FEST Travel is Turkey’s number one specialist in Cultural Tours, both inbound and outbound. The General Director and the owner of the company, Faruk Pekin is a member of the Board of Directors of BITS (International Bureau of Social Tourism) established in Brussels, which has 140 members from 40 different countries including the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in Turkey.

Faruk Pekin is the President of the Committee of Cultural Tourism within TURSAB (Association of Turkish Travel Agencies) and the President of the Cultural Awareness Foundation, a non-profit organization. Faruk Pekin is also the advisor to the President of TURSAB and a member of the Executive Board of the Initiative for Istanbul 2010: European Capital City.

As a well-known lecturer in Turkey on the “History of Religions”, he frequently lectures on Buddhism the most recent lecture being “Symbols in Buddhism”.

FEST Travel is a cultural organization and a travel agency offering a complete travel experience. FEST Travel has operated with a full license “A group, No: 1410” of the ministry of Tourism since 1985, is a member of the Association of Travel Agencies of Turkey (TURSAB), American Society of Travel Agencies (ASTA), International Bureau of Social Tourism (BITS), Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), Outside Sales Support Network (OSSN), Religious Conference Management Association (RCMA) and works under the supervision of both TURSAB and the Ministry of Tourism in Turkey.

As an international operator FEST Travel provides services to cultural organizations, tour operators, travel agencies, travel shops, group organizers, and companies and to individuals.

We depend on FEST Travel’s 24 years of experience and unique resources in composing the best cultural, biblical, study and educational tours to travelers from all around the world, using company-leased buses and salaried guides.

Our tours are carefully coordinated by our experienced staff to provide you with the most rewarding travel experience of your life and all with a very convenient cost. With over 200 itineraries, there is definitely something for everyone. Join us with your ambition to learn and desire of adventure and we will turn it to something divine.

Your tour directors are chosen for their expertise and their ability to bridge cultural gaps. They will guide you for learning while enjoying yourself.

In 24 years of service FEST Travel;

Organized the best cultural, religious, study and educational tours to travelers from all around the world, using  company-leased buses and salaried guides.

Created 90 different itineraries in Istanbul.Hosted very well organized meetings for 20-600 attendants.

Organized many tours (more than 100 between 1992-2006) to Iran, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Tibet, Bhutan, China, West Turkistan of China, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, mostly led by Faruk Pekin, the General Director of the Company; generally with a special emphasis on Buddhism, Buddhist monasteries and communities.

Organizes tours to more than 80 different countries around the world with at least 110 different itineraries, every year.

Is the official tour operator of Istanbul foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV), which organizes international festivals of Film, Theater, Music, Jazz and Istanbul Biennial and holds about 300 events and hosts 2500 artists annually.