Award Ceremony Held for İzmir's Barbaros Village by World Tourism Organization
Urla's historic Barbaros Village celebrated with a ceremony in honor of being selected as a Best Tourism Village by the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
Barbaros Village, a 700-year-old historic settlement in İzmir's Urla district, officially registered its international success with a ceremony held in the village square after being deemed worthy of an award within the scope of the UN World Tourism Organization's Best Tourism Village Program.
Ceremony Held in the Village Square
A widely attended celebration ceremony was held in the village square for Barbaros, which was deemed worthy of an award within the scope of the Best Tourism Village Program carried out by the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
With the placement of the plaque symbolizing the award in the village square, Barbaros's success was officially registered, and the ceremony continued with a moment of silence, the National Anthem, and folk dance performances.
High Attendance by Protocol Members
İzmir Governor Dr. Süleyman Elban, AK Party İzmir Deputy Şebnem Bursalı, and Urla District Governor Mustafa Gözlet attended the meaningful ceremony.
In addition, Urla Mayor Selçuk Balkan, İzmir Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism Dr. Sadık Doğruer, Barbaros Neighborhood Headman Barbaros Ersan, and numerous citizens took part in the event.
Sustainable Tourism and Local Culture
Alongside natural beauty, the authentic lifestyle culture preserved for years and the successful local development model played a crucial role in Barbaros's success.
Efforts carried out under the initiatives of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the coordination of the İzmir Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism enabled the village to stand out internationally.
Prominent Values and Events
In the UN Tourism evaluation, the village's sustainable tourism approach, environmental consciousness, protection of cultural heritage, and support for local production received high praise.
Elements such as stone houses, narrow streets, the "Knock on the Door" (Çat Kapı) houses practice, the Scarecrow (Oyuk) Festival, and olive oil production are among the primary values increasing the village's recognition.
İzmir's Third International Title
With Barbaros winning this award, İzmir experienced the pride of obtaining the Best Tourism Village title for the third time.
Previously, Ödemiş's Birgi district in 2022 and Selçuk's Şirince village in 2023 had been deemed worthy of the same title by UN Tourism.