Sustainable Tourism for Hotels: A Step-by-Step Guide
Who is this guide for?
This guide is written for businesses in and around Antalya that operate a hotel, holiday village, boutique hotel or guesthouse and want to understand how to bring their property in line with sustainable tourism criteria. In plain language, we explain what the process covers, the steps involved, which documents need to be prepared and where properties tend to run into difficulties in practice.
What is sustainable tourism, and which properties does it concern?
Sustainable tourism means that an accommodation property manages its environmental, social and economic impacts against measurable criteria and can demonstrate this through records. Energy and water consumption, waste management, chemical use, employee rights, relations with the local community and guest information are all part of these criteria.
In Türkiye, the national framework in this area is the Türkiye Sürdürülebilir Turizm Programı (Türkiye Sustainable Tourism Programme), run by the Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı (Ministry of Culture and Tourism). The programme has been developed in line with the criteria of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), and licensed accommodation properties are expected to align with these criteria gradually. At which stage your property falls within scope, and what level of certification it requires, may vary depending on the type of property and the Ministry's latest announcements, so it is important to check your own situation against official sources.
The topic is particularly relevant to hotels, holiday villages and large-capacity accommodation properties licensed by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. For smaller businesses licensed by the municipality, these criteria may also come onto the agenda because of the expectations of tour operators and guests.
How does the process work, step by step?
The process begins by comparing the property's current situation with the criteria and continues through the certification audit and ongoing improvement. The steps below provide a general framework; each property's priorities may differ.
1. Baseline assessment
The first step is a gap analysis showing which criteria the property already meets and where it falls short. Energy, water, waste, chemical and purchasing practices are reviewed on site. Items that are met, items that are missing, and practices that are in place but not recorded are listed separately.
2. Setting the policy and assigning responsibilities
A written sustainability policy approved by senior management is prepared, and a person or team is appointed to follow the process. This team usually includes representatives from technical services, housekeeping, the kitchen, purchasing and human resources. The policy should reflect the property's actual circumstances and be supported by an action plan.
3. Monitoring consumption
Electricity, natural gas or LPG, fuel and water consumption are recorded regularly and, where possible, converted into indicators per guest night. This data provides the basis both for setting improvement targets and for calculating the carbon footprint. In addition to the main meters, monitoring large consumption points such as the kitchen, laundry and pool separately makes it easier to spot savings opportunities.
4. Waste and chemical management
Waste is separated at source; hazardous waste such as waste oil, fluorescent lamps, batteries and chemical packaging is handed over to licensed companies, and the delivery records are kept. Waste declarations are made under the applicable legislation through the Ministry's environmental information system, UÇBS (Ulusal Çevre Bilgi Sistemi, the National Environmental Information System). Safety data sheets for pool, laundry and cleaning chemicals are kept accessible, and storage conditions are reviewed.
5. Social and cultural criteria
Sustainable tourism is not only about environmental issues; criteria relating to employees, the local community and guests are also assessed. Staff training, occupational health and safety practices, working with local suppliers and informing guests about the property's practices all fall under this heading.
6. Preparing for the certification audit
All evidence is gathered in a file organised by criterion, and the property prepares for the audit by the accredited certification body. The audit looks not only at documents but also at practice on the ground. For this reason, it is important that staff can explain the practices in their own department.
7. Continuous improvement
Once certification is obtained, targets and consumption data are reviewed at regular intervals. The results feed into the following season's action plan; sustainability becomes part of the property's routine management rather than a one-off project.
Documents to prepare: a checklist
The certification file consists of written policies, regular records and on-site evidence showing that the criteria are met. The list below is a general starting point for checking your property's readiness:
Signed sustainability policy and action plan
Letter appointing the responsible person or team
Monthly energy and water consumption records and meter readings
Waste management plan, contracts with licensed companies and waste delivery documents
UÇBS records and printouts relating to waste declarations
Documents relating to the environmental permit, wastewater and treatment that apply to the property (if any)
Chemical inventory and safety data sheets
Staff training records and attendance lists
List of local suppliers and purchasing criteria
Guest information materials (in-room cards, notice boards, website information)
Records of guest and employee complaints and suggestions
Carbon footprint calculation or greenhouse gas inventory (to the extent required by the criterion)
Common mistakes and points to watch
A common mistake is treating the process purely as paperwork, so that practice on the ground does not match the documents. When an auditor cannot see on site a practice that is described in the file, they may treat it as a non-conformity. Other points where properties get stuck in practice include:
Not keeping consumption data regularly; records that are filled in retrospectively at the end of the season are usually incomplete and inconsistent.
Hazardous waste being mixed with household waste, or delivery documents not being kept.
Not renewing training at the start of the season despite seasonal staff turnover.
Using ready-made template policies without adapting them to the property.
Confusing the scope of different certificates; it is important to clarify from the outset which certificate meets which requirement.
Neglecting basic environmental obligations such as waste declarations or, where required, an environmental permit; a sustainability certificate does not replace these obligations.
For properties also considering Green Key (Yeşil Anahtar), an international label, our article Guide to Green Key Certification Consultancy for Hotels can help you compare the two processes.
Notes for properties in Antalya
In Antalya, sustainable tourism is directly a matter of competitiveness and market access, as the regional economy relies heavily on tourism. Properties in areas such as Belek, Kemer, Side, Alanya and Kaş are located close to the coast, forests or protected areas. This makes water, wastewater and waste management more sensitive.
As occupancy rises during the summer season, consumption and waste volumes increase quickly. Setting up the monitoring system before the season opens and planning staff training at the start of the season therefore makes audit preparation easier.
The region's strong agricultural production is an advantage for properties that want to increase their use of local produce. Working with nearby producers supports the criterion on contributing to the local economy and also reduces the environmental impact of transport. For process management tailored to your property, you can review the scope of our sustainable tourism consultancy service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is sustainable tourism certification mandatory for hotels?
Accommodation properties licensed by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism are expected to align gradually with the Türkiye Sustainable Tourism Programme. At which stage and at what level your property falls within scope depends on the type of property and the latest announcements. It is advisable to confirm your exact position through the Ministry's current statements or with a consultant.
How long does the sustainable tourism certification process take?
The timeframe depends on the size of the property, its current situation and how regularly records have been kept. The process moves faster at a property whose consumption and waste records are already in place; at a property with incomplete records, a monitoring system needs to be set up first. A realistic timeline can be drawn up after the baseline assessment.
Does a hotel that already holds Green Key certification need to prepare separately?
International labels such as Green Key and the national programme are different schemes, and their criteria are not identical. Records kept for an existing certificate make preparation considerably easier. Even so, it is still necessary to check separately whether every requirement is met.
Where should a small boutique hotel start?
Small properties can also start with the basic steps: keeping consumption records, separating waste, drawing up a chemical inventory and writing a short policy suited to the property. These steps prepare the ground for certification and also make it easier to see where operating costs come from.
Contact Us
To plan your property's alignment with sustainable tourism criteria together, you can get in touch with the Asel Çevre Danışmanlık team.
Written by Okan Nas, Environmental Engineer, Asel Çevre Danışmanlık.
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