GSTC Sustainable Tourism Course (English)
Stockholm, Sweden, 22nd and 23d April 2024

Pre-Conference Training: GSTC Sustainable Tourism Course

Dates: April 22-23, 2024
Location: Gröna Lund’s Theatre and Spritmuseum, Royal Djurgården, Stockholm, Sweden
Language: English (If you’d like to join the Sweding-language course, please see here.)

The GSTC Sustainable Tourism Course provides the knowledge and tools needed to help improve sustainability practices in travel and tourism. The training covers the GSTC Criteria, the global standards for sustainability in travel and tourism, and provides best practices for businesses and destinations.

With an in-depth understanding of the GSTC Criteria, you will be able to make informed decisions on how to implement sustainability practices for your company or destination, and be ready for developing actionable sustainable tourism policies and practices for your organization.

There will be two cohorts in two different locations within close distance, Gröna Lund’s Theatre and Sprit Museum.

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 GSTC Industry Criteria and the GSTC Destination Criteria, and tangible action steps to applying the Criteria.

See the full course agenda here.

Exam and Certificate

By completing this 2-day training class, you will meet the training requirement towards earning the GSTC Professional Certificate in Sustainable Tourism.

Once you complete the course, you will have the option to take the GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training Exam. The exam takes place online, and you will have 4 weeks after the course to submit it. If you pass the exam (80% and above passing mark is required), you will receive a Professional Certificate in Sustainable Tourism by the GSTC. The certificate demonstrates your knowledge of sustainable tourism standards and practices.

>> Learn more about GSTC Professional Certificate in Sustainable Tourism

GSTC Trainers

CB Ramkumar, Vice-chair & Trainer, GSTC

Mr. CB Ramkumar (Ram) is an author, speaker, trainer, consultant and an entrepreneur. He is passionate about sustainability and has over the years acquired application knowledge in sustainable living concepts. He developed a model for sustainable living when he built and founded Our Native Village, an eco resort just outside Bangalore, in South India. Over the last decade, he has extended his expertise to sustainable living – including topics such as sustainable food, sustainable health, sustainable marketing and branding.

Ram is also a trained Climate Leader after undergoing a training programme by the Former US Vice President and Nobel laureate, Mr. Al Gore. In addition to being a regular guest faculty in colleges across India, Ram is a guest faculty for the Indian Forest Officers training programme for eco tourism for the Jungle Lodges & Resorts in Karnataka and the International Centre for Environmental Audit & Sustainable Development in Jaipur.

Michaela Hölz, Trainer, GSTC

The discussion about sustainability has accompanied her for almost twenty years now. After studying political science, comparative religion and law, she completed her PhD on the topic of sustainable development in connection with Luhmann’s systems theory. She worked as a sustainability and EMAS/ISO officer, implemented regional sustainability projects and taught “sustainability reporting”. She has profound experience in facilitating seminars with different techniques like Theory U and other systemic methods.

Since 2018, she runs her own consulting firm on tourism and sustainability, in which she accompanies destinations and tourism companies on their way to sustainability.

Holger Sigmund, Trainer, GSTC

Holger is a tourism and hospitality expert and entrepreneur. With more than 22 years of experience he knows the industry from different angles. He has a broad knowledge and experience in collaboration within destinations and the industry. He studied tourism management and worked for an Austrian destination, an incoming agency and a ski resort before starting his own business in 2004, working on various projects in the tourism, hospitality and MICE sectors and lecturing for universities.

From 2010-2020 he was founder and managing director of a tour operator. He is co-owner of Tourismuspartner, which has been offering seminars on online reputation, distribution and guest communication in German and English worldwide since 2010 and he pools his knowledge and work as a trainer, facilitator and consultant in the field of sustainability as co-founder of Tourism Impact.

Registration Details

Training + Conference

• The training registration fee for the conference delegates is USD 355 per person
• Registrations to the conference are closed – you can join the waitlist.

Training Only

• The training registration fee, if you’re not joining the conference, is USD 455 per person for GSTC members and USD 495 for non-members.
• To register separately for the training class ONLY, please fill out this registration form.

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.
• Please note: the exam registration fee (US$ 75 per person) is NOT included in the above course registration fee. If you would like to take the exam after the course, please select the add-on option “Exam & Certificate” when you register. You will also have the option to sign up for the exam and after the course.

Discount Options

• Group Discount (only applicable to GSTC Members attending the GSTC2024 Conference): For groups of 5-10 participants, a reduced registration option (USD 335 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.