Presenter Information

Mustafa Sogut, GSTCFollow

Description

Türkiye has initiated a paradigm shift in its tourism industry, marked by a collaboration with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), renowned for setting robust sustainability standards. The agreement, initiated in 2022, prioritizes sustainability commitment, commencing with formulating national program criteria and certification bodies training. The initial phase is targeted for completion by the end of 2023, with subsequent stages progressively implemented by 2025, ultimately aiming to meet all international standards by 2030.

This strategic move aims to position Turkey prominently in sustainable tourism, aligning with the goals of The Paris Agreement. Turkey has proactively steered its tourism industry towards sustainability, enhancing global competitiveness and aligning with international trends through collaboration with GSTC. Simultaneously, the nation introduced the Safe Tourism Certification Program in 2020, certifying nearly 12,000 facilities and extending its focus to include sustainability standards in accommodation facilities from April 2022.

Central to Türkiye's sustainable tourism development is the Türkiye Sustainable Tourism Industry Criteria (TR-I), obligating adherence from the Turkish tourism industry. Developed collaboratively with domestic and international stakeholders, TR-I aligns with cultural and global sustainable tourism standards. The certification program, consisting of 42 criteria across three stages, has seen substantial progress, with 15.178 of Türkiye's hotels verified/certified as of January 2024.

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Türkiye's Sustainable Tourism Transformation: An Overview

Türkiye has initiated a paradigm shift in its tourism industry, marked by a collaboration with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), renowned for setting robust sustainability standards. The agreement, initiated in 2022, prioritizes sustainability commitment, commencing with formulating national program criteria and certification bodies training. The initial phase is targeted for completion by the end of 2023, with subsequent stages progressively implemented by 2025, ultimately aiming to meet all international standards by 2030.

This strategic move aims to position Turkey prominently in sustainable tourism, aligning with the goals of The Paris Agreement. Turkey has proactively steered its tourism industry towards sustainability, enhancing global competitiveness and aligning with international trends through collaboration with GSTC. Simultaneously, the nation introduced the Safe Tourism Certification Program in 2020, certifying nearly 12,000 facilities and extending its focus to include sustainability standards in accommodation facilities from April 2022.

Central to Türkiye's sustainable tourism development is the Türkiye Sustainable Tourism Industry Criteria (TR-I), obligating adherence from the Turkish tourism industry. Developed collaboratively with domestic and international stakeholders, TR-I aligns with cultural and global sustainable tourism standards. The certification program, consisting of 42 criteria across three stages, has seen substantial progress, with 15.178 of Türkiye's hotels verified/certified as of January 2024.