Our Salt Therapy Application and Research Center Director Assist. Prof. Tekin Sancar was the guest of the “Regional Agenda” program on TRT Erzurum Radio.
Sharing information about the Tuzluca Salt Therapy Center, which was brought to health tourism under the leadership of our University, Dr. Lecturer Sancar pointed out that until the project was implemented, the salt caves in Tuzluca did not contribute much to the district and provincial economy other than highways and table salt.
Sancar said, “The Salt Therapy Center project, which started in 2018 with the initiative of our Iğdır University Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Hakkı Alma and the partnership of Iğdır Governorship and Tuzluca District Governorship, was built as 2 galleries 160-170 meters under the salt mountain and has been transformed into a facility with an area of 12,000 m2. It currently has a conference hall, salt therapy rooms and resting areas. I would like to thank those who contributed through you.”
Sancar responded to the question, “What kind of illnesses is the Salt Therapy Center effective in treating?” with the following words;
“Today, 14,000 salt minerals have been identified. It is beneficial for diseases such as COPD, Asthma, Allergic Asthma, Bronchitis, Allergic rhinitis and skin diseases, eczema and fungus, especially respiratory tract diseases. There are 4 million COPD patients in our country and if these patients receive this complementary treatment along with their medications, they will recover much faster. This treatment, which has almost no complications, is effective.”
“Our goal is to increase the number of tourists to 300 thousand a year”
Reminding that Iğdır has borders with three countries, Armenia, Nakhchivan and Iran, Sancar said, “Tourists come to our Salt Therapy Center from neighboring countries, Europe and many other places. 76 thousand people have visited in the last 6 months. Our goal is to increase this number to 300 thousand in a year.”
Speaking about the gains of the Salt Therapy Center, Sancar noted the following;
“Our center has been designed according to the needs of the tourists. This has caused changes in the socio-culture of the district. The population that previously migrated from the district to the center and other cities has started to return to the district. Thus, the district economy has started to be provided not only by agriculture and animal husbandry but also by tourism. In addition, it has become a stopping point for tourists coming with the Eastern Express that extends to Kars, which is 100 km away from Tuzluca district. Within the Tuzluca District Governorship and as Iğdır University, we are teaching the people of Tuzluca district how to make souvenir and cosmetic products from salt, and thus the economic structure of the district has started to change. Our Salt Therapy Center is flooded by local and foreign tourists. Our University’s Application Hotel and many hotels in our province provide service to the guests who come here and want to stay. Thus, it has made a great contribution to the economy of not only Tuzluca district but also Iğdır city center. Therefore, it contributes to the country’s economy.”
“I Invite Everyone Here”
Dr. Lecturer Sancar ended his speech by saying, “I call out to all our citizens, benefit from these resources, these blessings. People coming from abroad come from thousands of kilometers away. Let's benefit from these blessings right next to us. I invite everyone here.”
