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 [...]
During the GSTC Global Conference in Stockholm, Sweden, HNtv INSIDERS caught up with Randy Durband, CEO of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), and Dr. Willy Legrand, Professor at the IU International University of Applied Sciences in Germany. The event aimed to unite global and local tourism professionals engaged in advancing and advocating for [...]
On June 6th, the European Urban Initiative (EUI) launched the Public Consultation of the draft Action Plans of the Urban Agenda (UA) for the EU Thematic Partnerships on Greening Cities and Sustainable Tourism. The Public Consultation of the draft Action Plan of Sustainable Tourism will be open from 6th June until 11th July. A summary [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) launched the new GSTC MICE Criteria last March 2024, which is divided into three sub-sectors: Venues, Event Organizers, and Events & Exhibitions. GSTC designed the Early Adopter Program to facilitate the practical implementation of the GSTC MICE Criteria, supporting their development and effective application in the industry. The [...]
In an era where environmental concerns are becoming increasingly central to consumer decisions, the importance of sustainability in business practices cannot be overstated. As companies across the globe strive to align with the GSTC Criteria, the global standards for sustainability in travel and tourism, certification plays a pivotal role in shaping industry norms and [...]
Overview The GSTC Training Coordinator is responsible for accomplishing a number of operational and administrative functions of the GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training Program and supporting the GSTC Training Manager. See the GSTC Training Program Coordinator Job Description for full details. Roles & Responsibilities Manage the day-to-day work of the GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training Program*, [...]
Hoteles más Verdes (“Greener Hotels”) is the Sustainability Certification Program of The Tourism Hotels Association of the Argentine Republic (Asociación de Hoteles de Turismo de la República Argentina, AHT), a GSTC-Recongnized Standard that promotes the adoption of sustainable tourism good practices in the hospitality industry since 2010. The program certifies with the Eco-label “Hoteles [...]
Santa Marta, Colombia, hosted the first GSTC Latin American and Caribbean Summit from May 27 to 29, marking a milestone in the region's journey toward sustainable tourism. The summit, held in Colombia, the ‘País de la Belleza’ (The Country of Beauty), gathered 150 attendees from over 25 countries to collaborate on advancing sustainable tourism [...]
Overview The GSTC Accreditation Coordinator supports the strategic goals of GSTC and the policy leadership of the Assurance Director, focusing on the accreditation assessments of certification bodies that certify tourism businesses and destinations against the GSTC Criteria and the GSTC-Recognized standards. In addition, the Accreditation Coordinator manages various aspects of GSTC guidance for GSTC-Accredited [...]
Valamar Riviera has joined as a Member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) For more than six decades, Valamar Riviera has been providing tourist experiences, services, and offers in destinations along the Adriatic coast — Istria, the islands of Krk, Rab and Hvar, Makarska, Dubrovnik, and Obertauern, Austria — through a diverse portfolio [...]
Colombia, 'the country of beauty' will be the epicenter of this important meeting in Latin America and the Caribbean on sustainable tourism, which will seek to promote sustainability and regeneration in the industry and establish a working plan to strengthen the region's sustainable development practices. The first GSTC Latin American and Caribbean Summit will be held in [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is pleased to announce that The Ascott Limited (Ascott) has gained GSTC-Committed status for its adoption (without amendment) of the GSTC Industry Criteria v3.0. Ascott, a lodging business unit wholly owned by CapitaLand Investment, is a hospitality company with more than 950 properties globally, spanning over 220 cities [...]
The Colombian Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism has joined as a Member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Colombia is celebrated for its vibrant cultural mosaic and varied geography, stretching from the Caribbean and Pacific coastlines to the impressive Andes Mountains. Colombia is listed as one of the world's “megadiverse” countries, hosting [...]
High-income economies in Europe and Asia-Pacific continue to lead the World Economic Forum Travel and Tourism Index, with the United States, Spain and Japan topping the rankings again. Despite post-pandemic growth, the global tourism sector still faces complex challenges, with recovery varied by region; only marginal overall score improvements since the 2021 edition. Developing [...]
