Urla Vineyard Route 2024 Green Destinations “Top 100 Destination Sustainability Stories”

Urla Vineyard Route Selected in 2024 Green Destinations “Top 100 Destination Sustainability Stories”

The Urla Vineyard Route, created to revive Urla’s historic wine culture, enhance cooperation among wine producers, and promote sustainable local development, has been selected for the 2024 Green Destinations “Top 100 Good Practice Story” list. The application for the Urla Vineyard Route to be included in the list was made through a collaboration between the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, Urla Municipality, and the Urla Vineyard Route Association. With this recognition, İzmir has achieved international acclaim in sustainable tourism for two consecutive years, with Efeler Yolu Culture Route making the list in 2023 and Urla Vineyard Route in 2024.

The story “Unveiling Urla’s Wine Heritage: The Birth of the Urla Vineyard Route” and the 2024 Top 100 list are available on the Green Destinations website.

Sustainable Tourism Efforts

The İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, a member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), continues to work toward receiving the GSTC “Sustainable Tourism Destination Certification.” As part of this effort, in 2024, the Tourism Department of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality initiated certification studies in cooperation with Green Destinations, an accreditation body for the GSTC. These certification efforts are being conducted with stakeholders in Selçuk, Urla, and Foça.

About the Urla Vineyard Route

Founded in 2013 by seven local organizations to support the region’s growing number of wine producers, the Urla Vineyard Route aims to revive Urla’s historic wine culture, foster cooperation among wine producers, and promote sustainable local development. By prioritizing the preservation of cultural heritage and environmentally friendly practices, it has become a model for sustainable tourism.

The Urla Vineyard Route has extended the tourism season, gained international recognition, and contributed to regional economic growth. Its creation represents a collective effort to display Urla’s unique wine culture and position the region as a significant location on the global wine map.