Fukuoka City has joined as a Member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), as the first municipality destination member in Japan.
Fukuoka City, situated in the northern part of Kyushu Island, Japan, emerges as a vibrant hub blending modernity with rich cultural heritage. This bustling metropolis, with its roots in the ancient city of Hakata, is a tapestry of history and contemporary life.
Sustainability in Fukuoka City
Back in 1979 Fukuoka City initiated a series of strategic actions focused on developing a highly efficient water management system. These actions included the expansion and modernization of the water distribution pipe network, the establishment of a specialized water distribution control center, and the implementation of comprehensive leakage reduction measures. The result: Fukuoka City has the lowest leakage rate in the world*.
Fukuoka City encourages the construction of environmentally friendly buildings. A notable example is ACROS Fukuoka, a large cultural and office complex, which features a terraced roof garden that merges seamlessly with the adjacent Tenjin Central Park. The stepped slopes are so lush and green that they resemble a natural mountain and are called “The Across Mountain”. The step garden reaches up to about 60 meters above the ground and contains more than 35,000 plants representing 76 species.
Fukuoka City launched “Fukuoka Smart East” as a project to create a smart city, a model city that can be proud of its future, where comfortable, high-quality lifestyles and innovation are created and sustainable development is achieved. Other than this project, the city has several initiatives such as ‘The 10,000 Trees Project’ to plant trees in the heart of the city and ‘the
Fukuoka Art Next Project’ to highlight the history, traditions, and culture of Fukuoka City, including temples and shrines originating from the Middle Ages, traditional crafts such as Hakata textiles, and festivals, to enhance the city’s appeal.
“In Fukuoka City, the public and private sectors are working together to raise the level of initiatives toward sustainability. We support environmentally friendly tour products and sales promotion, especially for lodging facilities in Fukuoka City. Through the GSTC, Fukuoka City will also widely disseminate information on its efforts to improve its presence as a city and become the city of choice for tourists.” says Takashi Yoshida, Director of Tourism Marketing Section, Fukuoka City.
GSTC Welcomes Fukuoka City
“We are pleased to welcome Fukuoka City as a new member of the GSTC. We believe that all our members have the potential to positively impact sustainable travel and tourism. We look forward to collaborating closely with Fukuoka City to promote sustainable tourism practices worldwide” says Randy Durband, CEO of GSTC.
GSTC encourages destinations pursuing sustainability practices in tourism development and management to join as GSTC members and apply the GSTC Destination Criteria, which eventually can help achieve certification by a GSTC-Accredited Certification Body.
About Fukuoka City
Located in the northern part of Kyushu, Fukuoka City is a sustainable city that has long welcomed people, goods, and culture as the gateway to Asia.
It is also characterized as a compact city suitable for tourism, with Fukuoka Airport, Hakata Station, and the Port of Hakata within a 2.5-kilometer radius.
Fukuoka is a compact city that offers easy access from the city center to the suburbs where you can enjoy nature such as sea and mountains. Fukuoka as a hub city, you can travel around Kyushu – it is a gateway city of Kyushu.
More information here: https://gofukuoka.jp/ | https://www.fukuokasustainable.com/
About the GSTC
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council® (GSTC®) establishes and manages global sustainable standards, known as the GSTC Criteria. There are two sets: Destination Criteria for public policy-makers and destination managers, and Industry Criteria for hotels and tour operators. These are the guiding principles and minimum requirements that any tourism business or destination should aspire to reach in order to protect and sustain the world’s natural and cultural resources while ensuring tourism meets its potential as a tool for conservation and poverty alleviation.
The GSTC Criteria form the foundation for GSTC’s assurance role for Certification Bodies that certify hotels/accommodations, tour operators, and destinations as having sustainable policies and practices in place. GSTC does not directly certify any products or services, but provides accreditation to those that do. The GSTC is an independent and neutral USA-registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization that represents a diverse and global membership, including national and provincial governments, leading travel companies, hotels, tour operators, NGOs, individuals and communities – all striving to achieve best practices in sustainable tourism.
Information for media and the press: www.gstcouncil.org/about/for-the-press/
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Statements expressed in this announcement are presented for informational purposes only and should not be taken as an endorsement or recommendation by GSTC, unless clearly stated.
[Photo Credits: Fukuoka City]
*Efficient Water Management Report from The Word Bank: https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/437311604995673779/pdf/Fukuoka-City-Efficient-Water-Management.pdf
