Recognizing the importance of destination stewardship, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) introduces the Destination Stewardship Starter Kit in four additional languages to broaden accessibility and impact on a global scale. The starter kit is available in French, Spanish, German, Greek and English. This comprehensive tool is designed to guide destinations in adopting a [...]
Icelandic Tourist Board has joined as a member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). The Icelandic Tourist Board (ITB) is an independent authority under Iceland’s Ministry of Culture and Business Affairs. Its activities are regulated through the Act on the Icelandic Tourist Board and the Act on Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements. [...]
The GSTC Sustainable Tourism Course, held in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, from June 5th to 7th, 2024, in Bahasa Indonesian, concluded successfully. Wise Steps Consulting, a GSTC Training Partner, conducted the training. Mr. Mochamad Nalendra, a GSTC Trainer and the Founder and CEO of Wise Steps Consulting, expertly led the training session, providing valuable insights and [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) will be holding the GSTC2024 Global Sustainable Tourism Conference in Sentosa, Singapore, during November 13th-16th, 2024. The event aims to unite global and local tourism professionals engaged in advancing and advocating for sustainable travel and tourism. The conference and pre-conference training will be held at the Equarius Hotel [...]
Korea Tourism Organization has joined as a member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) contributes to national economic development and public welfare through tourism promotion, tourism resource development, tourism industry-related R&D, and projects to nurture and train tourism professionals. Sustainability in Korea KTO’s strategic directions aim to improve [...]
Views of sustainability are evolving for the better in the travel and tourism industry, but Randy Durband, CEO of Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) says there is still room for improvement. Since the start of GSTC’s work in 2007, has the travel and tourism community changed the way it regards sustainable tourism concepts? Indeed, [...]
11 Mandarin Oriental hotels received accredited certification in 2023 by GSTC-Accredited Certification Bodies, with a target of certification across all properties by 2025. Reduction of energy intensity per square meter, falling by 22% from a 2012 baseline Responsible sourcing on key high volume food products verified by global assurance partner, LRQA Mandarin Oriental Hotel [...]
Tenerife’s Global Summit, organized by the University of La Laguna and the University of Strathclyde through Turismo de Tenerife, was held in Canary Islands, Spain, from June 19th to 21st under the theme “Tourism: The State of the Art.” It was the third global meeting following the international summits held in 1994 and 2004 [...]
The GSTC Industry Criteria are experiencing their third revision after announcing version 3 in 2016, and we invite all stakeholders to participate in this important process. According to the GSTC Industry Criteria Revision Terms of Reference, the revision schedule is as follows: July 1, 2024: Announcement through publication of these Terms of Reference July [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council® (GSTC®) is pleased to announce that “Green Hotel Plus” and its Thai version (เกณฑ์ Green Hotel Plus) have gained GSTC-Recognized Standard status, meaning they have been fully recognized as equivalent to the GSTC Industry Criteria. For over 10 years, the Environmentally Friendly Hotel Project (Green Hotel), led by the [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) has released its Annual Report for 2023, showcasing the organization’s continued commitment to promoting sustainable tourism practices worldwide. The report highlights key achievements and strategic initiatives undertaken by GSTC over the past year, reflecting its dedication to fostering a more sustainable tourism industry. “As we present our first [...]
B&B HOTELS has joined as a member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). Founded in Brest in 1990, B&B HOTELS is one of the most important economic hotel groups in Europe. It has a network with more than 770 hotels in 17 countries, in Europe, Brazil, and the U.S. Present in large capital [...]
NJV ATHENS PLAZA is the 1st City Hotel in Greece to obtain GSTC Certification by RoyalCert®, a GSTC-Accredited certification body. The GSTC Certification is based on the globally recognized standard for sustainable tourism, the GSTC Hotel Criteria. By achieving this certification, NJV ATHENS PLAZA demonstrates its commitment to protecting the environment, supporting the local [...]
The GSTC Sustainable Tourism Course in Siena, Italy, held on June 6th and 7th, 2024, at the headquarters of Confesercenti Siena, concluded successfully. It was the first GSTC Training delivered in the Italian language. Federica Bosco, GSTC Trainer, Vice Chair of the GSTC Italy Working Group, and Sustainable Tourism Manager at ETIFOR Valuing Nature, [...]
The Destination Lab event, which took place in Riva del Garda, Italy, on May 17th, 2024, was a comprehensive day-long study focused on exploring the future of tourism destinations. It aimed to understand the essential components of creating and promoting tourism experiences within a specific territory and envision potential scenarios for the destinations of [...]
From 2022 to 2024, ISEAL led a stream of Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) initiatives for landscape and jurisdictional approaches, supporting three sustainability systems and related organizations through pilot project funding. As an ISEAL Community Member, GSTC received funding to measure performance change within sustainable tourism at the destination level. From February to November [...]
When it comes to sustainability, travel can feel like a double-edged sword. On one hand, exploring the world helps to cultivate empathy towards new cultures and can lead to radical change. On the other, the potential emissions from hopping on a plane and touring around a destination is at odds with a cleaner planet. [...]
The Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo (POATE) is an annual tourism and travel trade show organized by the Uganda Tourism Board. POATE 2024 was held in Kampala, Uganda, from May 23rd to 25th, 2024, under the theme “Responsible Tourism.” The event featured sessions on MICE, emerging trends, and green investment growth, among others. Key [...]
This article was written by: Yusuke MIZUSAWA (Megurun Sustainability Coordinator) And edited by: Timothy BUNTING (Megurun Project Manager) and Richard ERDMAN (Megurun Participant Outreach) Transformational Tourism in Yamabushi Country Since becoming a member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council in 2020, our team, team Megurun, has worked hard to make real changes to the sustainability of Tsuruoka, [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council’s (GSTC) Hotel Sustainability Training for Industry Professionals, organized in partnership with Agoda and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), successfully concluded on May 31, 2024. This two-day training, held for the first time in Kathmandu, Nepal, aimed to equip hoteliers with the skills and knowledge necessary to implement [...]
