With over 5,000 years of history and its classical Seljuk and Ottoman houses, Birgi has been listed among the ‘Best Tourism Villages of 2022’ by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). Located in the heart of Türkiye’s western Aegean region, Birgi boasts tree-shaded cobblestone streets and traditional houses and structures dating back to the 12^th century.

 

While the SENTRUM Project conducted with the collaboration of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Türkiye’s Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), and Enerjisa Enerji; continues to foster local development in Birgi, the newly inaugurated Implementation Center now stands at the heart of efforts to drive the sustainable transformation of the destination. The Implementation Center officially opened its doors in Birgi, marking a significant milestone in the region’s sustainable development journey.

 

The center will serve as a hub for coordinated activities that aim to generate meaningful impact across multiple dimensions - from energy efficiency and cultural heritage preservation to empowering women and youth and raising awareness on climate change.  While the sustainable tourism efforts in Birgi, will be coordinated through the Implementation Center, this hub will also ensure that all green transformation initiatives in the region - centred on local heritage - become more lasting, more accessible, and more visible.

 

A sustainable tourism model developed to encourage a tourism concept that spans four seasons

The work carried out aligns with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) criteria, supporting Birgi’s transformation into a model destination that advances environmental, cultural, and socio-economic sustainability.

 

As part of this effort, training programs and workshops have been conducted to emphasize and preserve local values. A total of 1,000 participants - including tourism professionals, women, youth, and children - have taken part in 21 different training sessions. Additionally, comprehensive stakeholder meetings have been held with local actors to promote sustainable tourism, gender equality, and alignment with international standards.

 

A Sustainability Story: From Local to Global Impact

Elevated by the opening of the Birgi Implementation Center, the SENTRUM Project advances not only sustainable tourism but also broader social transformation goals, including gender equality. By promoting the active involvement of women in decision-making and implementation processes, the project fosters inclusive development. At the same time, it aims to ensure a balanced, year-round visitor flow through a sustainability-driven tourism model.

 

SENTRUM Implementation Center, which is an important milestone in Birgi’s transformation into a sustainable tourism destination, will continue to strengthen local development through expanding partnerships and growing community engagement in the period ahead.