Turkey: First country in the world with a national sustainable tourism plan

(Patria) - Thanks to its national sustainable development programme, Turkey is one of the world's most important
destinations for a sustainable holiday, with an impressive culture, historical heritage and geographical
location.

The offer of accommodation capacities that strictly adhere to the principles of sustainability and
eco-tourism opportunities makes Turkey recognisable. As of 30 September, Turkey is
home to 6,156 certified facilities under the sustainability framework, mainly in the provinces of
Antalya, Istanbul and Mugla.

As the number of sustainability-certified facilities grows rapidly, the overall effort in Turkish tourism to reduce its carbon footprint by using ecologically designed structures and sustainable practices is also increasing.

In terms of the country as a whole – this initiative supports local cultures and the economy while providing guests with an unforgettable stay.

First country to sign a protocol with the GSTC

To achieve a sustainable transformation in the tourism sector, Turkey last year
signed a cooperation agreement for the development of a national programme with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), which establishes and manages global standards for travel and tourism. This is the first such agreement at the level of a single country and the GSTC.

In line with a three-year plan to restructure its tourism industry, Turkey has
also developed the National Sustainable Tourism Programme. Through it, Turkey works on
the principles of sustainability for all tourism policies including destinations, tour operators and
accommodation capacities. The primary goal of the Sustainable Tourism Programme is to ensure that
accommodation facilities obtain the Sustainable Tourism Certificate, which consists of 42 globally
accepted criteria.

During this process, accommodation capacities are subject to an independent evaluation for certification that is repeated once a year. Through effective sustainability planning, verification/certification also enables facilities to continuously improve their sustainability efforts.

With this increased awareness, the number of facilities verified/certified for sustainability is
constantly growing. According to the plan and vision of Turkey's national sustainable tourism programme,
all facilities must have a "Sustainable Tourism Certificate" by 2030.

Responsible hospitality

Turkey's national sustainable tourism programme aims to maximise social and
economic benefits for the local population while protecting cultural heritage and preserving
biodiversity, ecosystems and natural beauties. The programme also aims to reduce pollution and save resources, ensuring that tourism is environmentally friendly in every respect. Accommodation facilities that obtain the sustainability certificate through the Programme provide guests with a world-class sustainable accommodation experience while helping to protect the environment.



In Turkey, the assessment of accommodation capacities is carried out in four main categories: "sustainable management", "cultural impacts", "socio-economic impacts" and "environmental impacts". The first step towards obtaining the sustainability certificate is demonstrating effective sustainable management.

Accommodation facilities are expected to protect cultural heritage, enable guests to interact with local culture, support the regional economy and contribute to prosperity through practices such as encouraging local employment, promoting local purchasing and supporting local entrepreneurs, along with supporting local suppliers, reducing water and energy consumption, managing solid waste, implementing recycling practices and implementing measures to protect biodiversity and landscapes.