Things to Know About Birgi Village

Located in Ödemiş District of Izmir Province, Birgi has been home to many civilizations since ancient times. Birgi was dominated by the Phrygian Civilization (750-680 BC), Lydia Civilization (680-546 BC), Persian Kingdom, Kingdom of Pergamon, Roman and Byzantium Empires, witnessing so many significant, historical periods. Birgi is a region which was the capital city of Aydinids in 13th and 14th centuries during the period of Anatolians Beyliks and it was taken under control by the Ottomans indefinitely in 1426.

As the only city that managed to protect itself in the Western Anatolia, Birgi brings the history to today starting from the period of Anatolian beyliks with its original architectural texture, its oriel windowed houses, its original mosques, fountains and tombs, its baths and medreses. Birgi is almost like a museum city with its 171 registered works of art. The entire city is under protection with the purpose of conservation with the decision of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s Izmir 1st Board for Protection of Cultural Heritage dated 11/04/1996 and numbered 5963. Birgi was selected as one of the best 32 tourism villages in the world by UN Tourism in 2022.

SENTRUM Now Built in Birgi Village following Küçükköy, Ayvalık

Strengthened with the recent collaboration with the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) in addition to the existing collaboration of Enerjisa Enerji, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Sabancı University, the SENTRUM Project will make Birgi, a historical village in Izmir, the second and latest center of the sustainable green destination following Küçükköy, Ayvalık. While Sabancı Foundation and HiltonSA Hotels are the supporters of the project, Ödemiş Municipality and Ödemiş District Governorate are the local partners of the project.

Birgi Village in Izmir, where local development will be supported, will be transformed into a sustainable green destination where cultural and natural assets are protected, regional tourism is spread to four seasons with energy efficiency and renewable energy practices, and visitors can personalize their travel experiences via smart routes. As part of the SENTRUM Project, the purpose is to harmonize globally recognized standards with the unique requirements of the destination and to support sustainable tourism in order to contribute to community-based socio-economic development in Birgi.

What is the Aim of SENTRUM Birgi?

Main targets of SENTRUM Birgi project are as follows:

1. Lead a destination transformation in Birgi in compliance to GSTC (Global Sustainable Tourism Council) criteria,
2. Identify the current and future risks that will impact the tourism destination via climate risk assessment and determine compliance measures,
3. Draw a visitor plan that will not put pressure on the social, environmental and cultural heritage of Birgi via visitor capacity study,
4. Create a brand and marketing strategy for Birgi,
5. Conduct current state analysis, prepare action plans and carry out capacity development activities on gender mainstreaming, employment of women and youth, and determination of internship opportunities for tourism vocational high school and university students as part of the activities to be carried out in Birgi,
6. Promote environment-friendly transportation as well as creating walking and bicycle routes,
7. Conduct energy surveys in accommodation facilities and public buildings in Birgi,

In short, the SENTRUM model will allow to increase opportunities for means of livelihood in Birgi as well as promoting its unique cultural and natural heritage.

SENTRUM Birgi Launch

The following were discussed at the press conference held in Birgi village in Izmir on May 20, 2024, with the participation of Murat Pınar, CEO at Enerjisa Enerji, Louisa Vinton, UNDP Turkey Resident Representative, and Dr. Elif Balcı Fisunoğlu, Vice General Manager at Türkiye Tourism Promotion & Development Agency.

Speaking at the press conference, Murat Pınar, CEO at Enerjisa Enerji, stated, “At Enerjisa Enerji, we pioneer the energy transformation in the developing Türkiye. In the meantime, we are committed to our desire to be a part of the solution to the problems of our world and our country, including the climate crisis, by establishing collaborations in every area we operate for the goals. In compliance with our vision for A Better Future, we have already proven with SENTRUM in Küçükköy, Ayvalık that the tourism sector, one of the prominent sources of income in Türkiye, can be transformed with sustainable practices and renewable energy. The Sentrum project was crowned with our awareness-raising activities and the projects we developed under the Energy of My Business. Hence, we, at Enerjisa Enerji, will continue our efforts together with our stakeholders in Birgi for a better future and to set an example in Türkiye, while also creating a global success story in Türkiye with the SENTRUM Project."

Louisa Vinton, UNDP Turkey Resident Representative, stated, “Tourism can act as a powerful engine for development. However, it can also create pressure on the environment and cause natural assets that attract tourists to be overlooked. Therefore, it is essential to develop greener, more sustainable models that protect and attach significance to the environment while providing social and economic benefits to the local people who earn their living from tourism.”

Dr. Elif Balcı Fisunoğlu, Türkiye Tourism Promotion & Development Agency (TGA) Vice General Manager, stated, “Turkish tourism, which began its transformation journey with zero waste practices, has created a sustainable tourism road map by entering into a collaboration with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), the organization that sets and manages the global standards for sustainable travel and tourism, as well as providing international accreditation for Sustainable Tourism Certification Bodies as of the beginning of 2022. With this agreement, Türkiye has become the first country to enter into an agreement 'in the presence of the government in the field of sustainable tourism for the first time'. The National Sustainable Tourism Program will transform the entire tourism sector, especially accommodation facilities, destinations and tour operators. The agreement that Türkiye signed in the presence of the government by attaching significance to the sustainability-oriented approach will enable compliance to all international standards by 2030. We believe that the activities carried out as part of the Sentrum project, which focuses on Sustainable Tourism and is launched in collaboration with the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, TGA, United Nations Development Program and Enerjisa, will contribute to the green transformation in our country and will take its place as a global example of good practice.”

Significance of SENTRUM Birgi

In short, the SENTRUM Project reveals a significant example of sustainable tourism in Birgi village of Izmir. With this project being brought to life, Birgi’s historical and cultural heritage is protected as well as promoting renewable energy resources and increasing energy efficiency. Thus, the region’s tourism is kept alive for all seasons and the experiences of visitors become richer by being personalized. This successful SENTRUM practice poses a model for other regions as well and provides valuable information on how to practice sustainable tourism. Investments made for the socio-economic development of local communities carries Birgi beyond being only a tourist destination and make it a habitable example. With this project, Birgi comes to the fore as an attraction center in sustainable tourism, not only locally, but also internationally. Thus, SENTRUM plays an important role in protecting natural and cultural values of Birgi and transferring these to the future generations.