BWH® Hotels announces that Best Western Izmir has launched a pioneering inclusive employment initiative by welcoming Ayçe, a tourism and hospitality graduate with Down syndrome, to its hotel team through the +1 Supported Employment Program run by the Turkey Down Syndrome Association.
Believed to be the first initiative of its kind in Izmir’s hospitality sector, the project demonstrates how inclusive recruitment, structured workplace support and employer commitment can create meaningful career opportunities for individuals with Down syndrome in the profession they have studied for.
Ayçe, who graduated from the Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality and speaks English, began her professional career at Best Western Izmir after completing the Association’s Supported Employment +1 Program, which prepares candidates for interviews, supports employers throughout the recruitment process and provides dedicated job coaching during the critical first weeks of employment.
More than a single recruitment success, the initiative highlights the growing role the hospitality industry can play in creating accessible career pathways and promoting equal opportunities. It also demonstrates that with the right training and workplace support, individuals with Down syndrome can thrive in operational hotel roles and contribute meaningfully to guest service.
Speaking at a press event held at the hotel, Ayçe shared her excitement about starting her career in the industry.
“Like everyone else, I wanted to work in the profession I studied for. Today, I am proud to be doing exactly that,” said Ayce. “I contribute to my family’s budget, I enjoy working with my colleagues, and I hope more employers will give people like me the opportunity to work, contribute and build independent lives.”
Since 2012, the Turkey Down Syndrome Association has helped individuals with Down syndrome enter the workforce through its “Real Job, Real Person” approach. The program provides professional training for candidates and families, interview preparation, employer collaboration and on-site job coaching to ensure successful workplace integration.
“Inclusive employment becomes possible when employers are willing to look beyond assumptions,” said Merve Özman, Program Director at the Turkey Down Syndrome Association. “With the right support, individuals with Down syndrome become dedicated, productive and valuable members of the workforce. Our goal is to help build a more inclusive business community across Türkiye.”
For Best Western Izmir, the initiative reflects a long-term commitment to embedding inclusion into daily hotel operations rather than treating it solely as a corporate social responsibility project.
“Our fundamental belief in bringing this project to life was to demonstrate that individuals with Down syndrome can work successfully in the service sector without facing discrimination, providing them with necessary education and support,” said Ali İhsan Kağanarslan, Attorney and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Best Western Izmir Hotel. “I am delighted that our hotel is participating in such a sensitive and awareness-raising project, and that our team is acting with the same understanding and sensitivity. Our goal is not merely to be part of a corporate social responsibility project; it is to make the concept of sustainable and inclusive employment an integral part of our corporate mission.”
General Manager Murat Can Sakarya explained the initiative was built around three objectives:
- Demonstrate how individuals with Down Syndrome can succeed in hospitality with appropriate training
- Create a model that can inspire other Best Western hotels around the world
- Help individuals develop greater confidence through meaningful employment.
“Our ambition goes beyond social responsibility. We want to demonstrate that people with Down syndrome can become an integral part of hotel operations and the hospitality workforce,” said Can Sakarya. “We hope this project encourages more hotels across our global network and the wider industry to embrace inclusive employment.”
Ayçe’s mother, Seray Karagöz, described the opportunity as life-changing for their family after many unsuccessful job applications.
“When Ayçe told me she had finally found a job in the field she studied, she was incredibly happy,” she said.” Seeing her working, earning her own income and becoming an independent young woman makes me proud every day.”
By bringing together education, professional support and an inclusive employer, Best Western Izmir and the Turkey Down Syndrome Association are demonstrating how hospitality can help create lasting social impact while strengthening the industry’s workforce.
The initiative stands as an inspiring example of inclusive employment in Türkiye and reinforces the message that equal opportunity enables talent to flourish.
