Accreditation Documents
For inquiries related to GSTC Accreditation Documents, please contact accreditation@gstc.org. All documents are protected under GSTC’s intellectual property rights.
1. Latest Accreditation Documents
2. Accreditation Manual Revision History
GSTC Accreditation Manual for Certification of Accommodation/Hotel & Tour Operator (AM-HTO)
| Document | Approval | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| GSTC Accreditation Manual for Accommodation/Hotel & Tour Operator v.3.0 | 12 July 2023 and will be effective on 13 October 2023 | 3-month transition period Report – Public Consultation |
| GSTC Accreditation Manual for Accommodation/Hotel & Tour Operator v.3.1 | 1 October 2023 and will be effective on 13 October 2023 | No transition period due to minor revision Report of Changes |
| GSTC Accreditation Manual for Accommodation/Hotel & Tour Operator v.4.0 | Public consultation closed on 6 April, 2024 |
GSTC Accreditation Manual for Certification of Destination (AM-D)
| Document | Approval | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| GSTC Accreditation Manual for Certification of Destination v.2.0 DRAFT | Public consultation is ongoing until 28 August, 2024 |
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is committed to revising the GSTC Accreditation Manual through active stakeholder engagement. For information on the ongoing stakeholder engagement and public consultation, please visit the following page.
3. Interpretation, Amendment, and Guidance Documents History
| Document (Code) | Subject/Description | Referenced Manual/Document | Referenced Sections | Published Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019INTD01 | Understanding and applying the international norms for certification | AM-I v.2.4 | 11.3 Certification: Understanding and applying the international norms for certification | 16-September-2019 |
| 2019INTD02 | Guidelines for the type of sampling and size of the samples to be employed in each instance | AM-I v.2.4 | 15. Sampling within the Audit | 16-September-2019 |
| 2021AMD01 | Auditor Qualifications, Knowledge and Skills | AM-I v.2.4 | 10. Auditor Qualifications, Knowledge and Skills | 08-April-2021 |
| 2023INTD01 | Interpretation regarding the evaluation tasks specified in the GSTC Accreditation Manual | AM-I v.2.5 | 8.5. Requirements for the application of ISO 17065 ISO 17065:2012 7.4 Evaluation | 02-February-2023 |
| 2023INT02 | Interpretation of the “Similar tourism services” for determining members of Group Certification | AM-I v.3.1 | 15. Group Certification | 11-December-2023 |
| 2024INTD01 | Interpretation of “unit” in the context of certification for a Tour Operator. | AM-I v.3.1 | 16. Requirements for Tour Operator | 7-March-2024 |
| 2024ACL03 | Hotels undergoing surveillance audits in 2025, as part of an existing certification cycle, shall be informed by the CBs on the new performance requirements. However, non-conformities related to them will be issued during 2025 surveillance audits | GSTC Requirements for Hotel’s Performance against Eight Criteria | 5-June-2024 |