Esin Güral Argat Shares Her Global Vision for Tourism
Esin Güral Argat, Vice President of the Board at Gürok Group, was interviewed by Forbes US, the United States edition of the world-renowned business magazine Forbes. She shared the vision behind the global success of JOALI Maldives and JOALI BEING, two properties that have carried Gürok Group’s more than 35 years of tourism experience to the Maldives and are recognized among the world’s finest hotels.
With its brands extending from Kütahya to global markets, Gürok Group, one of Türkiye’s largest privately held groups, continues to make its mark worldwide through its achievements in tourism. In her interview published in the “Forbes Women” section of Forbes US, Esin Güral Argat, Vice President of the Board at Gürok Group, discussed the founding philosophy of JOALI Maldives and JOALI BEING, which offer ultra-luxury experiences across two separate islands in the Maldives, as well as the transformation of luxury tourism.
“Luxury is no longer about having more; it is about feeling more”
Highlighting the changing definition of luxury hospitality, Esin Güral Argat emphasized that the size of rooms or the number of amenities offered are no longer the defining factors; rather, what matters is how guests feel when they leave a property. Following JOALI Maldives, which is built around art, design and a sense of discovery, Esin Güral Argat explained that JOALI BEING offers guests a unique island experience centered on well-being.
She noted that the guest experience at JOALI BEING begins even before arrival. Through pre-arrival well-being assessments, personalized programs are designed around each guest’s individual goals, from sleep to stress management. She also highlighted the use of biophilic design principles, which integrate architecture with nature, and emphasized empathy as one of her strongest leadership qualities as one of the few women entrepreneurs to have established a luxury hospitality brand on a global scale.
“What matters is leaving lasting emotions”
Sharing her views with Forbes US on the future of luxury tourism, Esin Güral Argat, Vice President of the Board at Gürok Group, said:
“For me, true luxury is about how a place makes you feel. What matters is creating lasting feelings of joy, inspiration and genuine emotion that remain with our guests long after they have left. Beautiful design has never been only about aesthetics; it should help people breathe more deeply, connect more fully with the moment and reconnect with themselves. Technology will continue to make experiences more seamless, but we must not lose sight of the human element. What matters is creating places where people can reconnect with nature, their loved ones and themselves.”
Among the World’s Top 3 Hotels
JOALI Maldives, Gürok Group’s globally acclaimed tourism brand, ranked 3rd among the World’s Best 100 Hotels in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards 2026, based on readers’ votes. The property ranked 7th on the same list last year. JOALI Maldives was also named the 2nd Best Resort Hotel in Asia this year.