Vedat Aşcı, the Chairman of the Board of Astaş Holding, is one of the founders of the Europe TEMA (Turkish Foundation of Combating Soil Erosion, for Reforestation and the Protection of Natural Habitats) Foundation, known for its mission to stop desertification in Turkey.

Spread over 600 acres, Astaş Holding’s Mandarin Oriental Hotel and Residences, Bodrum Project achieved LEED Gold status. Mandarin Oriental Hotel and Residences, Bodrum is a key reference project in terms of respect for nature and the effective use of solar energy, sea water desalination, wastewater treatment systems and electrical vehicles.

Forming the Astaş Holding’s Board of Directors, the Aşcı family founded Şevket Aşcı Tourism Faculty in 2012 in memory of their beloved father, Şevket Aşcı. Opened on September 27th, 2014, the faculty is located on 10,000 sqm of enclosed area on a 1,100 hectare site with an infrastructure that has the capacity to provide academic training for up to 5,000 students. Şevket Aşcı Tourism Faculty is the first tourism faculty in Samsun as well as the very first university faculty in Bafra. It is Astaş Holding’s vision for Şevket Aşcı Tourism Faculty to raise tourism managers and ambassadors of the future who shall have an active role in the Turkish tourism industry and successfully represent Turkey in the global arena.