The GSTC Board of Directors plays an integral role in the leadership of the organization. Most seats on the board are filled via annual elections of and by current members of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. The GSTC Election Committee has validated the votes and released the results of the 2024 election. Two board [...]
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 August 2nd, 2024. This two-day training, held in Colombo, Sri Lanka aimed to equip hoteliers with the skills and knowledge necessary to implement sustainable tourism practices [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is pleased to announce that Dream&Charme has gained the GSTC-Accredited Certification Body status. Dream&Charme is an Italy-based international certification body with headquarters in Milan, Italy. The company, founded in 2006, is dedicated to maintaining high standards in the hospitality industry, focusing on sustainable practices and hospitality reliability across [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and its members are very saddened by the loss of Melissa Tilling, GSTC Member, Founder and Chief Executive of Charitable Travel and Sustainable Journeys, and CEO of the Charitable Travel Fund. Melissa was a prominent figure in the travel industry with over 30 years of experience and a [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), with support from the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), is further developing the GSTC Criteria, the global standards for sustainable tourism, with a new set for tourism food service providers (official name to be determined during the development process). This new set of GSTC Criteria will [...]
Busan International Tourism City Forum with UN Tourism, held the 8th of August 2024 at the Busan Bexco Convention in South Korea, brought together industry leaders, local businesses, and international experts from the tourism industry. Hosted by Busan Metropolitan City Tourism Association and with UN Tourism, Busan Tourism Organization and Busan Tourism Future Network [...]
GSTC’s first round of public consultation for the GSTC Attraction Criteria, which took place from 15th March to May 15th, 2024, has been completed. The key findings report is available here. The GSTC Attraction Criteria aims to serve as the global sustainability standards for the Attraction industry. The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) formed [...]
GSTC Trainer Partners, Mind Mingle Mentor Services led the GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training for tourism professionals in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The training was held in the Glenmarie Hotel Shah Alam from July 30th to August 1st, 2024, and was conducted by GSTC Trainer Kingston Khoo, who shared his knowledge and expertise with practical examples [...]
The third in-person ICCA Global Association Forum took place from June 24 to 26, 2024, in Cancun, Mexico. It brought together association meeting planners, senior association representatives, and meeting suppliers worldwide. The Forum offered valuable insights, practical tools, and resources for the association meetings industry. Attendees engaged in sessions on topics such as unlocking [...]
Booking.com's 2024 Sustainable Travel Report sheds light on the evolving landscape of sustainable travel, emphasizing the need for cross-industry collaboration to address ongoing challenges. This annual report, now in its ninth edition, draws from extensive research involving over 31,000 travelers across 34 countries. It provides a comprehensive overview of current traveler attitudes, perceptions, and [...]
Virgin Voyages has joined as a member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). Virgin Voyages is a premium, exclusively adult cruise line focused on creating memorable travel experiences. Commencing its first revenue sailings in August 2021, the company quickly expanded its fleet to four ships, operating from home ports in Miami, San Juan, [...]
Ata City Lakes and Plateau has recently achieved its first GSTC Certification. Together with APT Valsugana, already certified since 2019, it is the first GSTC-Certified* tourism district in Trentino by Vireo, a GSTC-Accredited Certification Body. Accredited means that a Certification Body (CB) has been verified through a rigorous external review from an accreditation body [...]
The Nippon Travel Agency (NTA) sponsored the GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training for its team and local stakeholders in Tokyo, Japan. The three-day GSTC Training in Japanese was held from June 4th to June 6th, 2024. GSTC Trainer Kazuhiro Arai, Representative of Daisetsuzan Nature School, led the training. He communicated his knowledge and expertise through [...]
Cook Islands has joined as a member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). Located in the heart of the Pacific, halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand, the Cook Islands consist of 15 islands known for their pleasant climate, opportunities for adventure, and relaxing atmosphere. The Cook Islands Tourism Corporation (CIT) is a government [...]
Three GSTC Online trainings were sponsored by The Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts of Sarawak (MTCP) in collaboration with Business Events Sarawak for their stakeholders related to Sarawak tourism - government, industry (event management, business travel, hotel, tour operator, association and academia). Trainings were held between November and December 2023, with [...]
The Hotel Es Port in Mallorca is the first hotel in Spain GSTC-Certified by Vireo, 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, Hotel Es Port demonstrates its commitment to sustainable practices. The Global Sustainable Tourism Council [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), BCD Travel China, and Colorful Earth have officially launched the “Guidelines for Developing Corporate Sustainable Business Travel Strategies.” This comprehensive guide is part of the partnership signed last year, which includes training programs aimed at aiding corporate clients, travel managers, and sustainability professionals in embracing and implementing sustainable [...]
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 sponsored by Traveloka held from the 2nd to the 4th of July in Jogja, Indonesia, concluded successfully. A total of 26 participants successfully attended the training held at the Greenhost Boutique Hotel. The course was led by GSTC Trainers Nalendra Mochamad and Herdi Andrariladchi, and counted with esteemed guest [...]
