The Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) who joined GSTC as a Destination Member in 2020, sponsored five GSTC Sustainable Tourism Trainings in different locations for destination representatives and tourism industry stakeholders in Japan.
The GSTC Trainings in Japan were held in the following destinations:
1) Takayama, Gifu from the 29th to the 31st of August 2023. Participants had the opportunity to visit The Takayama Festival Floats Exhibition Hall and learned about the importance of the Protection of Cultural Heritage.
2) Biei, Hokkaido from the 6th to the 8th of November 2023. Participants had a chance to visit majour tourist attractions in Biei, including the Shirogane Blue Pond.
3) Aso, Kumamoto, from the 14th to the 16th of November, 2023. Participants did the Aso Caldera Tour, Japan’s largest volcano, where they learned how to preserve declining grasslands through tourism revenue.
4) Tsuruoka, Yamagata, from the 17th to the 19th of November 2023. Participants had significant opportunities to listen to the locals about their history at the Pilgrims’ lodgings.
5) And Towada, Aomori, from the 1st to the 3rd of December 2023 Where attendees had the opportunity to visit the Towada Visitor Center and learn about the rich environment and biodiversity around Lake Towada.
The trainings were led by GSTC Trainers Mami Futagami, Dr., Professor Emeritus at Meijo University, and Kazuhiro Arai, Representative of Daisetsuzan Nature School, who shared their knowledge and expertise with practical examples and valuable insights with the overall 90 participants.
The GSTC Sustainable Tourism Course provided participants with the essential knowledge and skills to champion sustainable tourism practices. It presented an excellent opportunity to delve into the GSTC Criteria the global standards for sustainability in tourism and travel. Including global and local case studies enhanced the value of the training.
Upon successful course completion, participants receive a certificate of completion and become eligible to take an optional official exam to obtain the GSTC Professional Certificate in Sustainable Tourism.If you are interested in contributing to the industry’s sustainable transformation, consider checking out GSTC’s upcoming courses here.
