Page 173 - 7. State Of Environment Report Of Türkiye

Facilities that have received the Environmentally Friendly Accommodation Facility (Green Star
Symbol) Certificate from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism have an environmental mana-
gement policy and action plan, and periodic measurement, monitoring and archiving of data
on water and energy consumption, chemical substances and waste amounts are carried out.
Periodic training is provided to the personnel. It is ensured that waste water is disposed of out-
side the septic tank. It is thought that the facilities that receive the Environmentally Friendly
Accommodation Facility Certificate will contribute to the protection of the environment, create
a privilege in their promotion and marketing, contribute to their businesses and the economy of
Türkiye through savings without compromising their service quality, and be exemplary facilities
with their roles in protecting the environment.

In addition, with the communiqués numbered 5/1 and 5/2 of the Ministry of Agriculture and
Forestry - General Directorate of Fisheries, places or regions that are deemed necessary are dec-
lared as protected areas and closed to fishing. Thus, it is aimed to ensure the continuity of the
species in the protected area.

C.1.3.2.3. Türkiye Sustainable Tourism Programme

Sustainable tourism, which has become the focus of resilient and inclusive transformation to
strengthen the sector after the Covid-19 pandemic crisis, has also increased its importance in
inter-country competition.

In 2022, Türkiye signed a cooperation agreement with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council
(GSTC), which sets and manages global standards for sustainable tourism, and became the first
country in the world to prepare a National Sustainable Tourism Programme at the government
level. In 2023, the Sustainable Tourism Programme, which is an exemplary step towards sustai-
nability on a global scale, continued to be implemented with the aim of developing a common
understanding in the field of sustainable tourism and ensuring the sustainable transformation
of tourism.

The Türkiye Sustainable Tourism Programme, acknowledged by the GSTC, aims to accelerate
the sustainable transformation of the entire tourism sector, including accommodation facilities,
destinations and tour operators. Planned to be completed by 2030, the programme will be imp-
lemented in gradual phases. Thus, by 2030, all international standards will be met.

With 42 criteria and 167 indicators and recognised by the GSTC (recognized) “Türkiye Sustainab-
le Tourism Programme Industry Criteria (TR-I)” Sustainable Management consists of Cultural, So-
cio-economic and Environmental Sustainability. Among these headings, resource management,
efficient purchasing, waste management, waste water management and energy saving criteria
under environmental sustainability will directly contribute to the protection of environmental
health, the reduction of the consumption of our natural resources and environmental pollution,
and will form the basis of continuity for environmental transformation.
As of July 2024, more than 1,000 facilities have been awarded the “Türkiye Sustainable Tourism
Certificate” 100% compliant with the GSTC Criteria, 1 facility has been awarded the 2 Stage
nd
Certificate and more than 16,000 facilities have been awarded the 1 Stage Sustainable Tourism
st
Certificate, making a total of more than 17,000 accommodation facilities entitled to receive cer-
tificates.
All certified facilities are published on the website of the Turkish Tourism Promotion and De-
velopment Agency (TGA) and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. All GSTC-recognised Türkiye

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