Diyarbakır tourism officer uses multilingual skills to guide visitors

Abdullah Karaman, a former cruise ship inspector with extensive international experience, is now serving as a multilingual tourism officer for the Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality. After studying English Language and Literature in Germany and working on cruise routes across the Mediterranean and Caribbean, Karaman joined the city's Tourism Police Department following its establishment in 2015.

Karaman is part of a six-person team capable of providing historical guidance in six languages: English, German, Arabic, Turkish, Kurdish, and Zaza. The team assists visitors at key historical sites, including the Diyarbakır city walls, the Grand Mosque, Surp Giragos Church, the Virgin Mary Church, and the local Archaeology Museum.

The specialized service has attracted diverse visitors, including researchers, archaeologists, and high-ranking military personnel from the United States and the United Kingdom. Karaman notes that these visitors often share their positive experiences regarding the city's unique historical structures with their home countries, contributing to increased visibility for Diyarbakır's tourism.