With agricultural land in Yesiluzumlu and Incirkoy villages mostly shared and fragmented over a long period of time through inheritance, a gradual decline in viable farming operations in the region was inevitable. This made it increasingly difficult for families to make a living from agriculture alone. They also had little knowledge or experience of any alternative income-generating activities other than agriculture. Also, due to relatively lower access to education opportunities for women and girls, the opportunities to find employment are very limited.

Dastar is a traditional weaving method that has long been forgotten and is a cultural element in the villages. With the demand for qualified handcrafted touristic gift products in Fethiye and the surrounding tourism destinations, Dastar weaving has been revived.

Through the TUI Colourful Cultures Programme, Fethiye Lycia Women’s Cooperative trains 50 local women and encourages 20 new artisans. They  promote and revive Dastar among locals and encourage the young generation to keep up with their tradition. The cooperative starts sourcing organic cotton yarns by joining more sustainable supply chains and receives technical advice from a fashion designer to modernise Dastar to develop contemporary and innovative products.

Through the reinterpretation of this traditional weaving technique, contemporary designs and products are developed which are suitable for today's trends, and improved marketing strategies help make it more sustainable to secure the livelihoods of the women involved.

The project also aims to increase income possibilities for local women and their families through the tourism sector - products are marketed in four different outlets close to tourism hotspots, and corner displays are set up in five hotels. In the same way, the tourism sector also benefits from the supply of local handicraft products.

Dastar items can become popular tourism products which are synonymous with the region and convey its culture and traditions.