GSTC Sustainable Hotel Course Facilitates Knowledge Sharing and Networking

Sustainability Best Practices for Hotels

Launched in May 2021, the GSTC Sustainable Hotel Course is designed for hospitality and accommodation professionals, and provides practical insights into sustainability practices for hotels. Delivered as a 2-week-long facilitated and interactive online course, the GSTC Sustainable Hotels Course features expert presentations, useful resources, and real-life industry examples and lessons on applying sustainability best practices.

The first course (May – June 2021) welcomed 25 participants from over 17 countries, representing hotel brands and hospitality organizations of various types and sizes.

Through live sessions, online discussions and group exercises, the participants shared their own challenges, exchanged ideas with each other on sustainability solutions, and created opportunities for professional networking.

Here is a detailed report of these learning-by-sharing experiences by the GSTC training program partner TrainingAid.

GSTC Industry Criteria and Performance Indicators for Accommodations

The GSTC Sustainable Hotel Course provides practical insights into sustainability best practices through lessons on the GSTC Industry Criteria, the global baseline standard for sustainability in travel and tourism.

Following the GSTC Industry Criteria, the course offers a great way for hotels to systematically and efficiently approach their sustainability journeys.

Self-assessment tool based on the GSTC Industry Criteria

Useful Tools and Resources

In addition to the lessons on the GSTC Criteria and best practices for hotels, the course provides a number of real-life examples of sustainability practices in action, and useful tools and resources for hospitality and accommodation professionals to use when implementing their own sustainability actions – from a communication guide to a summary report template, from fact sheets to tool kits.

As a result of the coursework, participants are encouraged to create their own summary report, summarizing key priorities and action steps identified through the self-assessment exercise. The report can be used as a way to share key goals with your team members / management.

Summary report template