Sustainable Tourism Gives Türkiye a Competitive Edge

Turkey

Nadir Alpaslan, Türkiye’s Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, has underlined the importance of the country’s nationwide Sustainable Tourism Program, highlighting its role in strengthening Türkiye’s position in the global tourism market.

The program is being implemented in close cooperation with internationally accredited institutions and, according to Alpaslan, will provide Türkiye with a significant long-term advantage in international competition.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Alpaslan explained that Türkiye is aiming for another record-breaking year in tourism. To fully unlock the country’s potential, all accommodation providers will gradually be included in the sustainability certification scheme. As a model project, the ancient city of Side in Antalya will be certified as an entire destination. The goal is to roll out the program nationwide by 2030.

With climate change reshaping global travel priorities, Alpaslan emphasized that sustainability is becoming a decisive factor for the future:

“Tomorrow’s world will place ecological responsibility and sustainable development at its core. We are preparing Türkiye for that future. Sustainable tourism will give us a major advantage in global competition while providing future guests with essential guidance. At the same time, we are fulfilling our commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement of 2053.”

Tourism Year-Round, Across All Regions

Another key objective is to expand tourism beyond the summer season and establish it year-round across all 81 provinces. Beyond traditional beach holidays, Türkiye is focusing on cultural, nature-based, health, convention, thermal, and winter tourism. In cooperation with the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), new regional marketing programs have been launched to diversify demand.

“We want to showcase the tourism potential of every province and create opportunities across all regions and in every season,” Alpaslan noted. “The results of this work are already visible. In addition to sun, sea, and sand, we are strategically developing cultural, health, and convention tourism, as well as thermal and winter holiday offerings.”

To secure long-term growth, detailed tourism master plans will be developed for all provinces, ensuring a nationwide framework for sustainable tourism development.