On June 18-19, GSTC Member Taiwan Tourism Bureau (Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area Administration Taiwan) and GSTC Member Sustainable Travel Taiwan (STT) hosted the first “Global Sustainable Tourism Practical Workshop” in Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan. The aim of the Workshop was to help DMOs, tour operators and hotels of the area to learn how to implement sustainability practices into their work.
Roi Ariel, GSTC General Manager, gave the opening talk about “GSTC’s Global Mission and Market Role” setting the stage for the GSTC stakeholders that spoke afterward about applying the GSTC Destination Criteria by destinations, and applying the GSTC Industry Criteria by tour operators and hotels. “As shown in the recent Booking.com’s report, global travelers prefer to book eco-friendly accommodations. The GSTC Accreditation of Certification Bodies helps to make it more simple for travelers to identify accommodations that are certified as sustainable,” Roi said.
Tina Zakonjšek of GoodPlace (GSTC Member) shared her experience in the Slovenian government’s Green Scheme for Sustainable Tourism. Jennifer Koskelin-Gibbons from Palau, winner of the 2019 ITB Earth Award, shared the Palau Pledge Actions.
Nithi (Nutty) Subhongsang of Nutty adventure, which is a Travelife Certified tour operator, shared their practices and experiences with achieving certification through Travelife for Tour Operators system (GSTC-Accredited CB). As for sustainability for hotels, Nikolas Bakaris, Lead Auditor for Control Union shared how a hotel can become more sustainable. Cheryl Robbins, a local tour operator, also shared the value of Taiwanese Indigenous Tourism.
Plenary discussion (from right to left): Roi Ariel, GSTC General Manager; Tina Zakonjšek, GoodPlace Project Manager; Nithi (Nutty) Subhongsang, Nutty’s Adventures Co-founder; Monique Chen, STT Secretary-General
