Promoting Sustainability Skills for More Sustainable Destinations

In May – June 2020, the GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training Program (STTP) hosted a custom 4-week course for destination and industry stakeholders from across Norway, in partnership with Innovation Norway.

The course participants, from over 40 destinations across Norway, are part of Innovation Norway’s Sustainable Destination Program, working on and engaged in different stages of implementing the GSTC-Recognized Innovation Norway Sustainable Destination Standard.

With the goal of promoting knowledge and skills development opportunities among local and regional stakeholders, Innovation Norway has supported and organized the 4-week long online training course, covering international best practices in sustainable tourism, and insights into the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how they apply to the tourism contexts.

More about Innovation Norway’s Sustainable Destination Program

Innovation Norway’s Sustainable Destination program is the Nordic region’s only national labelling scheme for travel destinations. It is a tool for sustainable development of businesses and destinations when it comes to the environment, the local community, the cultural heritage, and the economy.

It supports destinations to strengthen local engagement in the long-term, through a commitment to an ongoing process of continuous improvement.

GSTC Training Team

This online course for Innovation Norway was delivered by the following team of trainers and contributors:

TRAINERS

Steve Noakes, GSTC Trainer

Steve Noakes has been involved in the travel and tourism industry for 40 years, and is a long term advocate for sustainable tourism practices across the Asia Pacific region. He is founder of Pacific Asia Tourism, an international project management company focused on tourism’s capacity to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals and the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism. Steve has been an active participant on the UNWTO Panel of Tourism Experts and the World Committee on Tourism Ethics, contributing to a number of UNWTO projects in Asia and East Africa. In the past two decades, Steve has served as Adjunct / Visiting Professor at University of Queensland and Griffith University (Australia), University of Lapland (Finland), and UiT the Arctic University of Norway.

Nicola Koschel, GSTC Trainer

Nicola Koschel is an independent tourism consultant based in Germany with a focus on the sustainable development and environmental management of tourism. After graduating from a BBA in Tourism Management and Consultancy (NHTV-NL) she obtained a Master in Sustainable Tourism Management (HNEE-DE). Since 2007 Nicola has worked with and for NGOs, specialist researchers, federal ministries, the German Development Cooperation, the European Commission as well as by order of renowned consultancy firms. Her work portfolio involves product and destination development, feasibility studies, project evaluation, consumer market research, design of appropriate marketing strategies and the organization of study trips, tourism awards, and conferences.

Ayako Ezaki, Training Director, GSTC

Ayako Ezaki is the Head of Knowledge Management & Communications at TrainingAid. Having worked for over eight years in tourism professional training and education in the non-profit sector, Ayako specializes in content building, educational program design, and project planning. She also brings many years of experience in online communications, social media marketing, and web publishing. Through TrainingAid’s partnership with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), Ayako serves as Training Director to develop, manage and market the GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training Program.

GUEST EXPERT PRESENTERS

Randy Durband

Randy Durband has had two careers in travel and tourism – twenty-plus years in senior leadership positions at some of the finest U.S. tour operators, having served as President for Travcoa, INTRAV, and Clipper Cruise Lines, (brands within TUI Travel plc), plus Executive Vice President of Tauck World Discovery. Following that, in his second travel and tourism career, Randy advanced the work of Sustainable Tourism as an advisor, consultant, and speaker. He brings his knowledge of the business of travel, his global network of travel professionals, and a passion for sustainability to support the GSTC and the general sustainable tourism movement.

Jeppe Klockareson

Jeppe Klockareson is passionate about travel, nature and sustainability issues and has worked in tourism since 2004, focusing on ecotourism and responsible tourism. He’s held previous positions at Basecamp Explorer Sweden and STA Travel Nordic, as Managing Director and Product Manager and is the owner and founder of Fair Travel. Fair Travel is committed to sustainable tourism and travel principles, offering advisory and consultancy, sales & marketing support, lectures, keynote speaking and project work. He’s been instrumental in developing specialized sustainable tourism training programs for travel trade professionals in cooperation with higher vocational educations in Sweden. He’s a returning teacher and speaker both in Sweden and beyond, on training workshops and capacity building for sustainable tourism development.

Angela Nagy

Angela Nagy is the CEO of GreenStep Solutions, a company that has provided sustainability solutions for thousands of small and medium sized enterprises across Canada and the US since 2008. With more than twenty years experience in project management, business development, marketing and public relations, Angela has lived and traveled extensively throughout Europe, the US and Canada, working with all levels of business, non-profits and governments on a variety of sustainability related projects. Angela has been trained by former Vice President and Nobel Laureate, Al Gore, David Suzuki and IPCC scientists to deliver the Climate Reality Project. She is certified in Organizational GHG Accounting through the Greenhouse Gas Management Institute and as a Sustainability

About the GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training Program (STTP)

The GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training Program (STTP) training opportunities around the world throughout the year for tourism professionals interested and engaged in sustainability. With the aim of strengthening awareness of sustainable tourism in destinations around the world, the training program covers global trends in sustainable tourism and sustainability best practices for businesses and destinations.

Learn more about the STTP and contact (training [at] gstcouncil.org) for additional information.

Follow updates on the STTP on social media with the hashtag #GSTCtraining.