Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy stated that the number of facilities that have completed the criteria in the first stage within the scope of the Sustainable Tourism Certificate Program has exceeded 7 thousand and said, “We are shown as an example in the sustainable accommodation facility certification program by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.”
Minister Ersoy said that, on the one hand, they increased diversity in tourism and on the other hand, they carried out studies for safe and quality service.
Reminding that they established the Turkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency for Turkiye’s tourism potential, Ersoy stated that the agency encountered the global epidemic problem as soon as it took office.
Noting that they have successfully carried out the COVID-19 epidemic process with the Safe Tourism Certificate Program and that they have increased their share in the tourism cake by distinguishing themselves from other countries, Ersoy stated that they have started the “Sustainable Tourism Certificate Program” process in order to ensure sustainability in tourism.
Reminding that Turkiye is a party to the Paris Climate Agreement, an international agreement in which countries agree that they must act jointly in order to prevent the climate crisis in 2021, Ersoy stated that they are working with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.
“We are shown as an example in the world”
Explaining that they are involved in the Sustainable Tourism Certificate Program process, starting from the accommodation sector, Ersoy noted that they are carrying out a three-stage program, and that they envisage the first stage to be completed by 2023, the second stage by 2025 and the third stage by the end of 2030.
Stating that there are a certain number of criteria at each stage and that the facilities meet these criteria, Ersoy said, “More than 560 of our facilities have completed the third stage so far. It is a record in the world. Although we are far behind, we are currently at the forefront in the world. We are cited as an example in the sustainable accommodation facility certification program by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.”
Ersoy stated that the process progressed very quickly because they carried out a study on a state basis and that they supported the work with laws.
Pointing out that the facilities are also diligent, Ersoy said, “As of now, we have exceeded 7 thousand in the first phase, we hope that this number will exceed 15 thousand by the end of the year and that all the facilities will have completed the certification program by the next season. In this respect, Turkiye will be an exemplary country in the world.”
Minister Ersoy stated that the work on getting all accommodation facilities certified by the ministry continues.
Ersoy explained that previously, tourist accommodation facilities received an operating certificate from either the municipality or the ministry, but with the law passed in 2019, a ministry operating certificate was required for all accommodation facilities. “We think that all accommodation units will be certified by the ministry by the end of 2024. We need to gradually close those that do not have a certificate. The necessary warning letters are currently being sent to them. We give them a certain period of time, we say ‘please get your business documents within that period’.”
Mentioning that a legal regulation has been made regarding houses used for tourism purposes, Ersoy noted that houses providing services for tourism purposes are also required to obtain a business certificate from the ministry.
Minister Ersoy added that houses providing services for tourism purposes were given until the end of the year.
Within the scope of the Sustainable Tourism Certificate Program, which has been implemented since last year, facilities are required to meet criteria such as zero waste, treatment facility, recycling, renewable energy, customer satisfaction and correct promotion.
Source: Trthaber / Prepared by Irem Yildiz