Türkiye Reaches New Heights with Nearly 18,000 Sustainability Verified Accommodations

Türkiye is progressing towards becoming a globally recognised sustainable tourism destination renowned for its cultural heritage and natural beauty. The country acted as a pioneer by becoming the first country in the world to sign an agreement with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) for a national sustainability program at the governmental level. In June 2024, the number of facilities certified by Türkiye’s National Sustainable Tourism Program by meeting the necessary criteria and achieving the 3rd stage verification equal to GSTC’s certification exceeded 1,000.

Within the scope of the Türkiye Sustainable Tourism Program, it is aimed that all accommodation facilities in Türkiye will comply with global sustainability practices in gradual transitions by 2030. As of July 31, 2024, in Türkiye, a total of 1,093 facilities have been certified under Türkiye’s Sustainable Tourism Program, mainly in Antalya, İstanbul, and Muğla provinces. Furthermore, the number of establishments receiving Stage 1 Sustainable Tourism Verification by fulfilling at least 14 out of 42 GSTC Criteria for accommodation facilities exceeds 16,710. Also, the total of verifications and certifications stands at exceeds 17,804.

While the Türkiye Sustainable Tourism Program, developed at international standards, continues to encourage all tourism facilities and destinations to grow continuously, effective, sustainable planning and global sustainability practices in the tourism industry have also been accelerated. For example, sustainable Türkiye ranks third worldwide with 567 Blue Flag beaches. Antalya continues to hold the title of the city with the highest number of Blue Flag beaches globally, totalling 233. In addition, Türkiye is among the top two countries with the most UNESCO registrations, with 30 elements in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. The number of members in Türkiye’s Cittaslow network has reached 25. In the Michelin Guide 2024 selection, the number of restaurants in Türkiye awarded with the Green Star has also increased to 5.

Thanks to such efforts, Türkiye has achieved a leading position in sustainability on global indices. According to the Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2024 results, the country ranked 29th out of 119 countries, which showcased its international growth in competitiveness and demonstrated the positive outcomes of its sustainable tourism policies.