Accessibility and Social Impact in Tourism Course
Stockholm, Sweden, 22nd and 23d April 2024

Pre-Conference Training: GSTC Accessibility and Social Impact in Tourism Course

Dates: April 22-23, 2024
Location: Hasselbacken, Stockholm, Sweden
Language: English

The GSTC Accessibility and Social Impact in Tourism Course is designed to empower participants with essential knowledge and skills to tap into the thriving accessible and inclusive travel and provide best practices in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). The training specially focuses on the social impact using the GSTC Criteria, the global standards for sustainability in travel and tourism.

This training is offered in conjunction with the 2024 GSTC Global Sustainable Tourism Conference (Day 1 – 24th April). Learn how to register.

Course Schedule

The two-day in-person training class combines trainer presentations, group discussions and exercises with hands-on learning opportunities, focused on practical insights into the accessibility and social Impact and tangible action steps with the global cases.

See the full course agenda here.

GSTC Trainers

Roni Weiss 

Roni Weiss is the Executive Director of Travel Unity, a U.S-based NGO focused on increasing diversity in the world of travel through individual and community empowerment. Roni was born in Long Island, New York and grew up in Snohomish County, Washington, north of Seattle. At the age of 10, Roni began attending Edmonds Community College (now Edmonds College), receiving his Associate’s of Arts and Science with Honors at the age of 12. He graduated from Lynnwood High School at the age of 15, then attended the University of Washington, receiving double Bachelor’s of Arts degrees in Drama and English at the age of 18.  Through years of world travels, Roni visited 70+ countries, including every country in Europe, six of seven continents, and taught English in Italy, France, Taiwan, and Chile, both to youth and professionals. In 2011, Roni founded RW Social, a marketing and consulting company for the travel industry and nonprofits. From 2011 to 2016, Roni worked with Africa Travel Association (now Africa Tourism Association), assisting with and speaking at ATA’s events in NYC, DC, and multiple African countries. In 2013, RW Social launched the New York Travel Festival, an event focused on innovation and sustainability in the world of travel, which served as the genesis for Travel Unity, where he now serves as Executive Director. Roni lives in Westchester County, NY with his partner, Lauren, and their four children.

Martin Heng 

Born in Birmingham, UK, Martin has a BA and MA in English literature from Cambridge University and an MA in Communications from RMIT University, Melbourne. He left England in 1987 and lived, worked and travelled around the world before migrating to Australia in 1997. He worked for Lonely Planet from 1999 to 2020 in numerous roles, including seven years as Editorial Manager.

A bicycle accident on his 20km commute to work in 2010 left him a quadriplegic. He was Lonely Planet’s Accessible Travel Manager & Editorial Adviser from 2013 to 2020, in which role he published a number of accessible travel titles, including the world’s largest collection of Accessible Travel Online Resources, which was cited as best practice by the UNWTO, and an accessible guide to Rio de Janeiro that was supplied to all athletes participating in the 2016 Paralympics. He also commissioned and co-wrote Accessible Melbourne, Accessible Brighton, Accessible Bristol, Accessible Edinburgh and Accessible Glasgow.[1]

Since 2014 he has become a regular speaker at travel conferences held by such global travel NGOs as UNWTO, WTTC, IATA and PATA. In 2021, he authored Tourism Access and Inclusion: Best Practice Guidelines for Tourism MSMEs for APEC, complemented by a series of three online workshops featuring many of the world’s accessible travel luminaries. In 2022, he authored the Accessible and Inclusive Host Handbook for the Australian Tourism Export Council, complemented by a series of training modules that he created and delivered.

For the last six years he has served as chair of the board of IDEAS, a NSW-based nonprofit providing information to and advocacy services for the disability communities throughout Australia. He was appointed to the Victorian Disability Advisory Council in October 2019, and reappointed in 2022 to advise the Victorian government on matters related to disability.

Registration Details

Training + Conference

• The training registration fee for the conference delegates is USD 370 per person. The tickets to the conference are sold out, you can join the waitlist here.

Training Only

• The training registration fee, if you’re not joining the conference, is USD 470 per person for GSTC members and USD 510 for non-members.

What’s Included

• As part of your course registration, you will receive training materials to be provided before the course; lunch and coffee breaks during the training days; and a Certificate of Completion confirming your attendance in the class.
• Travel and associated costs are NOT included in the course registration fee. Participants are responsible for arranging their own travel to and from the venue, and accommodation during the training days. To book a room with a discounted fare at one of the official hotels, please see here.

You can register for the course here.

Discount Options

• Group Discount (only applicable to GSTC Members attending the GSTC2024 Conference): For groups of 5-10 participants, a reduced registration option (USD 350 per person) is available. If you would like to sign up as a group of 5 and more, please contact us (training@gstcouncil.org) for more details.
• Need-Based Discount: For students (currently enrolled full-time in a university program) and professionals with genuine needs, a limited number of need-based discounts are available (USD 295 per person). Please see the application form here.