GSTC Trainers and Training Partners

Training Program Partner: TrainingAid

TrainingAid, through its partnership with the GSTC, manages and develops the GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training Program (STTP).

TrainingAid is an international tourism training company specialized in sustainable tourism. Focusing on practical and accessible skills development opportunities for travel and tourism industry professionals, TrainingAid offers and supports online, live and in-person training options. Working with industry leaders and experts, TrainingAid provides courses on key topic areas including business development, destination marketing and management, and effective tools and solutions for smart and sustainable growth of the tourism sector.

Regional Training Partners

GSTC works with partner organizations in various regions around the world that support the GSTC’s mission to increase sustainable tourism knowledge and practice. These training partners work with authorized GSTC trainers to offer the official GSTC STTP curriculum on behalf of the GSTC.

Botswana Tourism Organization (BTO)

Country: Botswana

The Botswana Tourism Organization is the leading body supporting the efforts to market Botswana’s tourist product, grade and classify tourist accommodation facilities, and promote investment in the tourism sector. With its long-standing commitment to conservation of its land, wildlife and cultural heritage, Botswana enjoys a solid reputation as a progressive sustainable tourism destination and one of the top safari destinations in the world.

DASTA (Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration), Thailand

Country: Thailand

DASTA is a government agency which is accountable to Prime Minister, aiming to create, develop and prolong sustainable tourism in Thailand. DASTA focuses on developing tourism in designated areas, namely Chang Island and Vicinity, Pattaya City and Vicinity, Historical Parks of Sukhothai, Si Satchanalai and Kamphaengphet, Loei, Nan Old City, and Uthong Ancient City, in three dimensions – economy, society, and environment.

Destination Capacity

Region: Oceania, Asia Pacific

Destination Capacity is a consulting and training company, focusing on tourism strategy, destination management and sustainability. Operating from New Zealand, Destination Capacity provides in-person and online services to public and private organizations that want to take the next step in their sustainability journey.

Fair Travel

Region: Nordic Region

Fair Travel is a travel consultancy that works with companies around the world to make responsible tourism mainstream and successful. In addition to representing tour companies to offer fair and sustainable travel experiences, Fair Travel provides support to academic institutions, research groups and other organizations engaged in the area of socially, economically and environmentally responsible tourism.

Green Evolution

Region: Southeast Europe

Green Evolution, based in Athens, Greece, was created in 2009 by a group of experts who are specialists in sustainability, energy & carbon finance. Our vision is to help create a sustainable and secure future based on integrated environmental services in tourism, assisting public and private sector organizations in their efforts to effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change impact. Green Evolution offers services in Europe working with several sustainable tourism standards and Awards, in Tour Operators, Hotels & Destinations. Designs and implements strategies on GHG management and delivers training for the tourism sector. Green Evolution supported several applied research & technological development projects, in demonstration & commercial application, net zero strategy, CSR & ESG reporting development, efficient building modelling, for nZEB & Passive House Standard, investment and techno-economic feasibility studies, environmental impact assessments, market research as well as activities for Sustainable Destinations. Green Evolution Staff & Partners have several certifications on Energy Design & Consulting, like Certified Passive House Designer, Certified Passive House Consultant, LEED Consultant, European Energy Manager (EuReM) and more.

MarkPlus Tourism

Country: Indonesia

MarkPlus Center for Tourism & Hospitality is a unit business of MarkPlus, Inc., the leading marketing consultant in Indonesia. The Center provides professional services for tourism and hospitality industry players. It was inaugurated on 8th November 2014 by the Minister of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia, Arief Yahya. MarkPlus Center for Tourism and Hospitality is highly committed in formulating relevant business solutions through its consultancy services, comprehensively understanding Indonesia tourism through insightful research, and building the capability of tourism and hospitality human resources using participatory learning approaches.

mascontour

Country: Germany
Regions of Operation: Global

Founded in 2005, mascountour is a global consultancy working to achieve an innovative and consistent combination of tourism and sustainability. With an interdisciplinary team of expert, with many years of international industry expertise in tourism and sustainable development, mascontour works with destination organizations, tourism companies, and development cooperation organisations, offering practical solutions at the local, regional, national and international level.

Regenera

Country: Chile
Region of Operation: Latin America

Regenera is a non-governmental organization that aims to promote sustainable and regenerative tourism development, with a special emphasis on protecting the cultural and natural resources of local destinations, as well as supporting families and communities where tourism serves as a tool for economic and social development.

Walking Mountains Science Center

Country: USA

The Sustainability Programs Department at Walking Mountains Science Center in Avon, Colorado offers educational group trainings and custom coaching opportunities to support businesses, destination managers, and local government staff and officials in understanding and implementing sustainable tourism practices. Walking Mountains provides the GSTC “recognized” Actively Green standard for certification of businesses, and the Mountain IDEAL GSTC “recognized” destination standard for certification of mountain resort communities. Onsite trainings are offered in Vail, Colorado and other locations.

Wise Steps Consulting

Country: Indonesia

The first integrated sustainable tourism consultancy in Indonesia, Wise Steps is a solution provider for destination management organisations and private sectors. Be it local governments, hospitality and tourism businesses, or tourist villages, it helps provide new perspectives on sustainable development and technology in an effort to manage risk. Our talent pool experts specialise in rural destination development, sustainable tourism, marketing, feasibility study, and much more.

University of Colombo

Country: Sri Lanka

The University of Colombo in Sri Lanka was established in 1921 as University of Ceylon. It is the oldest and pioneer higher education institution in Sri Lanka by maintaining academic excellence. It has developed a tourism study program named Certificate in Sustainable Tourism Destination Management (CSTDM) with the GSTC partnership. The CSTDM programme provides the required theoretical and conceptual knowledge and right practical applications of sustainable tourism development in Sri Lanka with the context of global best practices to the prospective students those who are currently involved in and for those who aspire to join the travel, tourism and hospitality industry.

Cappadocia University (Kapadokya Üniversitesi)

Country: Türkiye

Cappadocia University (KÜN) is the leading institution in Türkiye in tourism strategic planning, sustainable tourism research and training, and destination development. KÜN is a GSTC member, authorized GSTC training services provider, and the official partner of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye. Committed to increasing the competitiveness of Turkish tourism industry, KÜN closely cooperates with Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency and the GSTC in the development of Türkiye’s national sustainable tourism program and criteria.

Nastadeem

Country: Jordan

Nastadeem is dedicated to advancing sustainable tourism practices across the tourism sector in the Arab World. We offer comprehensive training, coaching and consulting services to guide tourism organizations in implementing sustainable practices. We translated the GSTC Criteria to Arabic and are the exclusive training partner for the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) in the region, conducting trainings on the GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training Program (STTP) and the Hospitality Training Program in both Arabic and English. Our mission is to empower tourism stakeholders, including hotels, tour operations, other tourism businesses, government agencies, and communities, to embrace sustainable practices that not only preserve natural and cultural heritage but also foster economic development.

Colorful Earth

Country: China

Colorful Earth, founded in 2021, is dedicated to promoting sustainable development through biodiversity conservation, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I), and sustainable tourism, aiming to protect the color of nature and people. It serves as the official training partner of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) in China.

The organization has made significant contributions to sustainability, including co-founding the Pollinator Protectors Alliance and publishing key resources such as the Pollinator-Friendly Urban Landscaping Toolkit and Protect Pollinators – How to Build an Insect Hotel. In sustainable tourism, Colorful Earth collaborated with GSTC and BCD Travel to release the Guidelines for Developing Corporate Sustainable Business Travel Strategies. These resources support corporations and individuals in adopting environmentally and socially responsible travel practices.

Colorful Earth also promotes disability inclusion, with publications like the Chinese version 10 Most Accessible Cities Report, Etiquette for Interacting with People with Disabilities, and the Disability Inclusion Self-Assessment Guideline for Hospitality. Its work highlights the intersection of ESG and inclusion, including co-publishing the Chinese version of the ESG and Disability Data White Paper.

Through these efforts, Colorful Earth continues to inspire businesses and communities to embrace sustainable and inclusive practices.