Enabling small producers to become part of the tourism supply chain
Project aims
This project, a TUI Care Foundation initiative delivered by the Travel Foundation, helped rural, small-scale producers in south-west Turkey to benefit from tourism. The aim was to improve the livelihoods of farmers and small-scale producers in the Muğla region by facilitating the local supply of traditional ingredients and delicacies to hotels, restaurants and gift shops.
The area is famous for its honey, olives, citrus fruit, almonds, herbs, pomegranates and fresh vegetables. Traditional delicacies made from this fresh produce, such as oils, vinegars and jams, will be bought by hotels for their kitchens and gift shops.
We supported local producers to develop a range of goods that appeal to hotels and customers, and we encouraging hotels to buy locally, and promote local products to their customers.
As tourism returns to pre pandemic levels to coastal areas, this initiative helped spread the benefits inland, enabling small businesses to tap into the tourism supply chain.
Adding Value
Muğla is a predominantly rural area, and small-scale growers struggle to maintain farming as a sustainable livelihood. Most produce is sold directly to local markets, traders and wholesalers at a fairly low price.
The farmers and village communities cannot always create opportunities to process the raw ingredients to add value to them, for example by turning olives into (more expensive) olive oil, or table olives, with suitable packaging and branding.
Local producers are also not well placed to supply businesses in the tourism sector, which instead typically use large-scale wholesalers and distributors that source goods from much further afield (including importing).
Pre project
Activities and approach
By creating new or improved products, and selling to new buyers, farmers and producers in Muğla province (known as the “Turquoise Coast”) will have more secure, sustainable livelihoods. And, of course, customers visiting Muğla can enjoy locally made artisanal foods.
To do this, we gave local producers training and support to help them develop products that are suitable for the tourism sector. This included:
- Working with village cooperatives and small enterprises to identify opportunities for new products and to improve existing processes, for instance by ensuring best environmental practices are followed
- Holding producer fairs, and “brokering” buying agreements between producers and tourism businesses.
- Working with businesses to help them change their procurement practices and make it easier for them to buy from small local suppliers.
- Supporting hotels to hold events for customers to find out more about the products, how they are produced and, of course, to taste the results!
Customers also had opportunities to go on excursions that visit some of the producers involved in the project.
Outcomes
- At least 15% increase in income from food production for 165 rural families
- £235,000 in sales of local products to the tourism industry
- 425,000 tourists enjoying local products
Read our in-depth case study for full details of the Flavours from the field project.
