Home of Aromatic Plants Koycegiz

Applicant: Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University

Project Partner: Köyceğiz Municipality and District Governorship.

The project aims to increase the tourism potential of Köycegiz, the 16th Cittaslow in Turkey through promoting its botanic richness of medicinal and aromatic plants. The project will realize its activities with a community-based tourism approach, increase women’s employment and will set a good example for aromatherapy tours which are already a trend in the world.

Under the project, a traditional mansion built in 1932 will be allocated by the Municipality and will be renovated as the “Home of Aromatic Plants”. At this place, aromatherapeutic oils will be manufactured from endemic plants and trees such as sweetgum tree (Liquidambar orientalis) by taking into consideration the balance between usage and conservation of the local values. A webinar series for the usage of aromatic plants will be organized and thirty local women will be trained on aromatherapy and eco-print. A research will be carried out for establishing a women’s organization in cooperation with local authorities for women who will work in Home of Aromatic Plants. Moreover, an inventory of aromatic plants of Köyceğiz will be published and an Aromatic Plants Festival will be organised.

Hygiene, digital literacy and social media management trainings will be organized as a response to Covid-19 crises with the participation of local tourism actors. . Branding and packaging of the products will be designed based on an established corporate identity.

SDG1: NO POVERTY

Support the development of tourism products and services tailored for local people with lower income. Recruit, train and employ local community, including those living in poverty, and integrate them in the tourism value chain. Partnership with civil society networks to provide education and entrepreneurial skills training (e.g. tour guides, local artisans, and local foods).

SDG 5: GENDER EQUALITY

Encourage and support sufficient participation of women in decision-making and governance at all levels and across all business areas in tourism related companies. Support and expand business relationships with women owned enterprises, including small businesses and women entrepreneurs.

SDG 8: DECENT WORK

Engage communities to participate in tourism value chains for goods and services. Foster entrepreneurial culture, investing in or mentoring young entrepreneurs and encouraging tourism related start-ups. Invest in tourism development for job creation and economic development. Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services. Devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products.

SDG 10: REDUCED INEQUALITIES

Recruit, train and employ local community, including those living in poverty, and integrate them in your value chain. Partnership with civil society networks to provide education and entrepreneurial skills training.

SDG 11: SUSTAINABLE CITIES

Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage

SDG 12: RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION

Promote the development of innovative business models Enable sustainable consumption by developing innovative solutions to reduce energy need in usage and educate consumers about these benefits. Encourage minimizing manufacturing impacts by substituting virgin raw materials in products with post-consumer materials through recycling and upcycling. Reduce significantly waste and ensure that any unavoidable waste is utilized to the fullest degree (e.g. organic waste as fuel or fertilizer).

SDG 15: LIFE ON LAND

Measure, manage and mitigate impacts on ecosystems and natural resources. Create awareness of visitors on proper behaviours when visiting forests or natural areas, including interaction with local cultures.

SDG 17: PARTNERSHIP FOR THE GOALS

Enhance the partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources. Encourage effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships on resourcing strategies of partnerships. Promote the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism