Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Mr. İbrahim Yumaklı, attended the signing ceremony of the “Water Efficiency Campaign Cooperation Protocol” at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, alongside Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Mehmet Nuri Ersoy.
In his speech, Mr. Yumaklı emphasized their commitment to ensuring the efficient use of water, an essential resource for agriculture, industry, and tourism.
Highlighting their “zero water loss” approach, Yumaklı stated, “We aim to extend the Water Efficiency Campaign initiative nationwide.”
He noted that the Water Efficiency Strategy Document and Action Plan were published last year, and added:
“We have identified 114 actions within this framework. By promoting water efficiency in tourism until 2033, we aim to achieve up to 40% water savings in usage. To support these goals, we have published 162 sector-specific water efficiency guideline documents.”
Yumaklı mentioned that shifting large landscaped areas in tourism facilities to drought-resistant designs would lead to significant water savings.
He explained that activities would be conducted in line with action plans, focusing on the reuse of water through gray water and rainwater systems, and made the following remarks:
“Our region, with its unique beauty, is becoming an increasingly attractive destination for tourism. However, the sustainability of these advantages is directly linked to our water resources. The tourism sector’s development in areas that are typically sensitive in terms of water availability and its concentration in the water-stressed summer season further underscores the strategic importance of water use in tourism.
Using water-saving equipment is one of the primary methods to conserve water in the tourism sector. Training both guests and staff on efficient water use is also crucial. We want to promote the best available practices included in the Water Efficiency Guide for the Tourism Sector, which contains internationally recognized techniques tailored for the sector. Establishing, promoting, and jointly implementing systems to disseminate these practices is extremely important. Through the cooperation protocol signed today between our ministry and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, I believe we will reach a broad audience, aligning efforts within the tourism sector to achieve faster and more effective outcomes.”
He concluded by emphasizing that efficiently using and sustaining our water resources is now more critical than ever, especially for the tourism sector.
