Overview GSTC has developed a credible assurance program for hotels, tour operators, and destinations and has been extending it to MICE and Attractions. The growth of the GSTC Assurance Program requires qualified senior managers with deep knowledge and experience in accreditation. See the GSTC Accreditation Senior Manager Job Description for full details. Roles & [...]
The GSTC Sustainable Tourism Course, sponsored by the Tokyo Mountain Side DMC Co, for their stakeholders concluded successfully. It was held in Akiruno City, Tokyo, Japan, from the 7th to the 9th of January 2025. Nineteen participants attended the training, which was delivered by GSTC Trainer Kazuhiro Arai, Representative of Daisetsuzan Nature [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) participated in the International MICE Summit (IMS) held in Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from December 15 to 17, 2024. The Saudi Conventions and Exhibitions General Authority (SCEGA) hosted the event. With a three-day interactive program that featured plenary sessions, panel [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is proud to announce the launch of its new training program tailored specifically for the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector. This milestone follows the publication of the GSTC MICE Criteria last year, marking a significant step in promoting sustainable practices across events globally. The new GSTC [...]
Portrait Milano is the 1st Hotel in Milano, Italy to obtain GSTC Certification by Dream&Charme, a GSTC-Accredited certification body. The GSTC Certification is based on the globally recognized standard for sustainable tourism, the GSTC Hotel Criteria. Portrait Milano becomes the 1st Hotel in Milano, Italy to obtain GSTC Certification by Dream&Charme, a GSTC-Accredited certification [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), in partnership with the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), announced in August its plans to expand the GSTC Criteria, the global standards for sustainable tourism, by developing a new set specifically for tourism-related food service providers. These forthcoming criteria, with an official name to be determined, [...]
2025 Eligibility for GSTC-Recognized Standards and Required Accreditation The GSTC Criteria represent the global standards for sustainable travel and tourism. Certification is a crucial aspect of implementing these standards, involving third-party assessments to ensure compliance with the standards. While the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) does not conduct certifications directly, it accredits Certification Bodies [...]
At GSTC we work with partners to measure and offset the carbon emissions associated with our conferences. The GSTC2023 Global Conference, held in Antalya, Türkiye, brought together 350 tourism professionals from 51 countries, providing a valuable platform for advancing sustainable tourism practices while adhering to our environmental responsibility. The carbon footprint refers to the [...]
The GSTC Sustainable Tourism Course, sponsored by Amakusa Sustainable Tourism Council, held from December 17th to 19th, 2024, concluded successfully. It took place at a historical site of an early educational center in Amakusa City, Kumamoto, Japan, characterized by numerous museums and World Heritage churches across the islands. A [...]
Traveloka, Southeast Asia’s leading travel platform and a Platinum Sponsor of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), has been supporting sustainable tourism by sponsoring GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training Programs since 2022. Through this collaboration, Traveloka has helped empower tourism stakeholders across the region with comprehensive education on the GSTC Criteria, the global standards for [...]
為鼓勵旅宿業者（包含觀光旅館業、旅館業及民宿）提升服務品質，並打造無障礙友善設施、導入永續環保管理系統以及提供智慧服務空間，台灣交通部觀光署頒佈【交通部觀光署獎勵旅宿業品質提升補助要點】。 主要補助項目之一的永續環保相關認證，使得飯店能夠在取得國內外永續、節能減碳、綠色環保相關檢驗或認（驗）證時，向觀光署申請最多80%的認證費用補償。台灣的旅宿業者將可以從這項補助要點中受惠，獲得最高達10萬元新台幣的補償，以一次補助為限。 取得 GSTC 認證的驗證機構之認證（簡稱：GSTC認證**）的旅宿為符合所有 GSTC 標準（或 GSTC 認可標準）並擁有最高水準的保證*和可信度的企業。透過受認證的驗證，顧客和客戶可以放心，該旅宿是透過可信賴的驗證程序以透明、公正和稱職的方式獲得認證的。 透過獲得 GSTC 認證，台灣的飯店/住宿業者可以展示其對永續實踐的承諾，並受益於政府提供的獎勵補助措施。 註： 旅宿業者需為依法取得營業執照或登記證之旅宿業，得依此要點規定向觀光署申請補助。 此項補助費用需要在取得認證之當年度12月15日前向觀光署提出申請，並填寫核銷文件郵遞至觀光署。若在當年度12/16~12/31取得認證之旅宿業者也可申請補助，僅需在成果報告說明取得各階段歷程（時間點），並提供佐證資料即可。 詳細計畫與申請條件仍以台灣觀光署網站公告為主。 *一般保證等級注意事項： 受認證的驗證機構進行的第三方認證（公正性是肯定的） 第三方驗證（不確定公正性） 第二方驗證（不公正） 第一方自我評估 沒有驗證 **我們使用「GSTC 認證」作為「由 GSTC 認證的驗證機構之認證」的簡寫。
Pan Pacific Hotels Group (PPHG) has announced that all six of its Australian properties have gained accredited certification, after getting all their properties in Singapore also certified. These six properties are the first in the Oceania region to attain this global certification. PPHG is the wholly-owned hotel subsidiary of UOL Group Limited (UOL), one [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) participated in the 2024 Ulsan Ecotourism Forum, held on the 3rd of December, 2024, at the Tannibay Hotel in Ulsan, South Korea. With over 170 participants, the forum provided a dynamic platform to discuss the city’s transformation through technological innovation, cultural integration and sustainability. Randy Durband, GSTC CEO, [...]
Traveloka sponsored the GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training held in the Potique Hotel in Nah Trang, Vietnam, December 12-13, 2024. The two-day training was led by GSTC Trainer, Trang Nguyen who shared his expertise with practical examples and insights. Attendees had the chance to listen to esteemed guest speakers: Ms. Ha Thi Dieu Vien, Deputy [...]
On December 6, 2024, the Opera & Ballet Theatre in Tirana became a hub of dialogue and collaboration during the National Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development in Albania. This landmark event organized by The Ministry of Tourism and Environment in cooperation with Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) supported project, RisiAlbania, implemented by [...]
The fourth annual Destination Stewardship Yearbook is a compilation of articles from the 2023–2024 Destination Stewardship Report (DSR), co-produced by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), Center for Responsible Travel (CREST), and Destination Stewardship Center (DSC). In each issue, the DSR features destinations that have embraced effective and holistic management, best practices in sustainable [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) participated in the 2024 China Hotel and Catering Industry Brand Development Conference, where its CEO, Randy Durband, delivered a keynote speech. The event, held on November 27 in Haikou, Hainan Province, China, served as a platform for industry leaders and policymakers to discuss innovation, sustainability, and brand excellence [...]
Tricolage, in collaboration with the Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau, sponsored the GSTC Sustainable Tourism Course for their tourism stakeholders in Tokyo, Japan. The training was held from the 3rd to the 5th of December, 2024, and was led by GSTC Trainer Kazuhiro Arai, Representative of Daisetsuzan Nature School, who shared [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) will hold a workshop for Japanese GSTC Members in Tokyo on February 6th, 2025, in collaboration with Rakuten Travel. The gathering will be held at Rakuten Crimson House Headquarters. This event marks the third workshop of its kind in Japan for GSTC Members, further enriched by the visit [...]
The Green Lodging Trends Report (GLTR) is the leading global benchmarking study on sustainability best practices in hotels conducted biennially. It benchmarks hotels from around the world to compare the prevalence of best practices. 20,000 hotels of all sizes and types across 50 countries participated in this year’s 2024 GLTR and benchmarked their performance [...]
