The Mediterranean coast of Antalya is one of the most significant nesting areas for sea turtles, including the endangered loggerhead and green turtle species. But as a world-class tourism destination, its continuously developing tourism infrastructure unfortunately disrupts sea turtle nesting sites, imposing unfavourable conditions on the sea turtle nesting habitat. 

Artificial lighting deters adult turtles from nesting and disorientates hatchlings. Garbage in the seas, especially plastics, also poses a significant risk, as the turtles frequently confuse plastic bags for jellyfish, their main food source, leading to injury or fatality. Additional challenges from fishing activities also jeopardise the turtles. 

The two-year project safeguards 60,000 hatchlings by implementing measures to protect critical nesting sites from human disturbance and pollution. This includes restricting access to nesting beaches during the breeding season, managing beach activities, reducing light pollution, and regularly monitoring beaches. Interventions include a comprehensive situation assessment and mapping of Belek's nesting beach, recording beach usage patterns, and identifying and protecting nesting zones in front of hotels.

The project also aims to foster a conservation ethic and encourage responsible behaviour by educating 7720 local community members, hotel staff, tourists, and fishermen about the importance of sea turtle conservation through workshops, informational materials, and training programmes. An educational programme also engages children and young people at hotels and regional schools, reaching at least 1500 young people with animation and kids club activities.

The TUI Care Foundation’s ‘Turtle-friendly Tourism’ certification programme recognises hotels that adhere to sea turtle protection efforts. The programme, piloted in Belek, engages three hotels annually with the final goal of certifying two beachfront hotels during the project. In addition, 40 new prism cages, cage signs, and information signboards will be distributed to the engaged hotels to protect turtles, raise awareness and inform visitors. In pristine areas with no facilities, two designated 1 km stretches will be established as ‘TUI Protected Areas’, where at least 100 nests will be safeguarded against predation, with grills buried under the sand.

With the support of the TUI Care Foundation, EKAD's initiatives seek to have a lasting impact on both the local ecosystem and the wider marine environment.