Assurance Committees

Accreditation Decision Making Committee (ADMC)

The Accreditation Decision Making Committee (ADMC) is responsible for independently making decisions regarding the accreditation of certification bodies. Operating independently from the GSTC Secretariat, the ADMC ensures that certification bodies comply with GSTC’s rigorous accreditation requirements and upholds the integrity of the accreditation process. ADMC members are external professionals selected based on their expertise and experience in ISO 17011-based entities or other related ISO standards, with preference given to those with knowledge or experience in tourism. Members must have no conflict of interest (COI) with GSTC-Accredited Certification Bodies or GSTC-Recognized Standard Owners (current or previous).

Current members of the ADMC are listed here.

Recognition Decision Making Committee (RDMC)

The Recognition Decision Making Committee (RDMC) is responsible for reviewing sustainable tourism standards applying for GSTC Recognition, making decisions regarding the recognition of sustainable tourism standards. RDMC members are selected for their knowledge of standards and related systems and their expertise in tourism. The committee strives for balanced representation across various tourism sectors, including hotels, tour operators, MICE, destinations, and attractions.

Current members of the RDMC are listed here.

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Impartiality Committee

The Impartiality Committee is responsible for evaluating the impartiality management activities of the GSTC accreditation program, advising on issues that may affect GSTC’s impartiality and confidence in assurance, and analyzing sources of risks to impartiality along the accreditation process of Certification Bodies.

This committee is an example of the enormous effort that the GSTC accreditation program makes to maintain the highest quality standards in its accreditation processes, following ISO/IEC 17011 – Requirements for accreditation bodies.

The committee members were selected to ensure a balanced representation of experts from diverse tourism backgrounds, fostering a holistic and impartial perspective. The committee includes professionals from certification bodies (industry and destinations), academia, civil society, and the tourism sector.

The impartiality committee is composed by:

The committee’s first meeting was held on February 11, 2025. At this meeting, introductions were made, and the work plan and methodology were shared. The Impartiality Committee will meet again in July 2025 to start their evaluation.