Period of implementation of the project: 

2007-ongoing

Challenge: 

The purpose is to show that Turkey has very rich resources not only in terms of sea-sand-sun tourism but also in terms of sustainable tourism, to successfully introduce Turkey to foreign investors in terms of tourism, and to train mass tourism tools to support it. The other purposes of the programme are revealing the potential of local development in Turkey, expanding the tourism vision in our country with unique values of sustainable models. 

Solution: 

A tourism-oriented local development model was created. Every year, the applications made via the website are evaluated jointly and the studies to be supported are determined. Applications aimed to bring the nature, culture, historical places and product diversity of the region to tourism are evaluated. Non-governmental organizations, local administrations and universities can make these applications separately, and sometimes they can act in two or three ways. The first evaluation is made by UNDP’s independent consultants. 20 finalists are selected from among 200-300 applications. Finalists present their projects at the workshop in Istanbul. Then the field visits start and finally, the representatives of the three partner institutions determine 3 projects to be supported that year with the “sustainable tourism” criteria set by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). 

Results: 

With the programme, 19 projects were supported in various places of Turkey in 14 years. Supported 600 Non-Governmental Organizations, collaborated with 23 universities, employment has been created directly and indirectly for more than 500 women and 200 thousand people have been reached. While carrying out the sustainable tourism projects, attention and sensitivity was paid to the principle of responsible tourism and responsible business. With the program, we have been deemed worthy of a total of 16 awards from various institutions and organizations. 

Before the Lavender Scented Village project started, 1000 people visited the region by chance; the number of domestic and foreign tourists reached 1 million people in 2019. 

44 women received tourism training and 25 women were employed to work in stores and businesses in the Come a Day to Misi project. 

In World’s Oldest Temple in Göbeklitepe Stone Carving project, 21 people took stonework training, 6 of these were women and they have also become Turkey’s first female stone workers.  

The project defines sustainable tourism in terms of natural resources, cultural unity, ecological processes and biological diversity systems that are protected during the use. It also stipulates that resources should be utilized to meet the economic, social and aesthetic needs of the current and future visitors.  The application process asks for three distinct elements from the applicants: sustainability orientation, multi-stakeholder involvement, and contribution to SDGs.  

Within the scope of 19 grant projects, supported 600 Non-Governmental Organizations, collaborated with 23 universities, employment has been created directly and indirectly for more than 500 women, 200 thousand people have been reached.

and more than 5,000 people received tourism certificates. “Future is in Tourism” has become a sustainable tourism brand in Turkey and plays a crucial role for localization of SDGs.

Sustainable tourism has a critical role in terms of supporting job creation, promoting inclusive social integration, protecting natural and cultural heritage, conserving biodiversity, generating sustainable livelihoods and improving human wellbeing.  In the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development SDG target 8.9, aims to “by 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products”. The importance of sustainable tourism is also highlighted in SDG target 12.b. which aims to “develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products”. 

On top of all grant projects, the partnership of an IGO, a public institution and a private sector company is serving for SDG 17.

Category: Prosperity

Company: Anadolu Efes

About the company: 

Anadolu Efes produces and markets beer and malt and non-alcoholic beverages in a wide geographical area comprising Turkey, CIS, Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East.

Sustainable Development Goals