The Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency won the “Destination for Change” award presented as part of the TTG Travel Industry Awards 2026 in London, the capital of the United Kingdom.
The awards ceremony was held at the Roundhouse in London with the participation of representatives from the travel and tourism industry. Presented for the first time this year, the award highlights destinations that put into practice a tourism approach that considers local communities and visitors, protects the environment and includes different segments of society.
Ersoy: We are turning sustainable tourism goals into concrete steps
Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said in a statement on his social media account that Türkiye had received a new international award for sustainable and accessible tourism for all.
Ersoy said Türkiye was turning its tourism goals into concrete steps, adding that environmentally friendly practices were being expanded at accommodation facilities through the sustainable tourism program. He also said the number of accessible public beaches had been increased so that everyone could benefit from the sea and holiday opportunities.
Ersoy said the steps taken by Türkiye toward its goal of sustainable and accessible tourism for all had achieved success with the award, adding that the “Destination for Change” award reflected these efforts.
Jury assessment highlights measurable results
According to a statement by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the awards were organized by Travel Trade Gazette, which focuses on the travel and tourism industry. The jury assessed that Türkiye had achieved measurable results by implementing its tourism strategy on a broad scale.
The assessment particularly highlighted the certification of accommodation facilities according to sustainability criteria and efforts to make tourism more accessible to different segments of society.
Türkiye launched the Türkiye Sustainable Tourism Program after signing an intergovernmental agreement with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council in 2022. Under the program, sustainability criteria were expanded to accommodation facilities across the country.
As a result of these efforts, more than 2,500 accommodation facilities became eligible to receive the Global Sustainable Tourism Council’s international certification.
