GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training for the Cayman Islands
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), in partnership with the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (CIDT), organized a custom online training course for 20 CIDT representatives from across the organization, including a wide range of sections and departments – from customer service, to promotion, to training and research.
The course was delivered as a 4-week long facilitated online course (July 13 – August 7, 2020), with participants joining a series of interactive live sessions covering best practices in sustainability management, and providing insights into avoiding negative impacts and maximizing positive social, economic, cultural and environmental benefits for local communities.
In addition, the course featured a guest lecture by Ms Syntia Solomon of Bay Island Destination Management Organization (BIDMO), an independent non-governmental development organization that serves as a platform of collaboration to foster sustainable tourism development by way of integrated planning,
strategic management, and marketing of the Bay Islands while promoting social, economic, environmental, and cultural well-being for its communities.
The course also featured a “virtual field visit” exercise analyzing challenges and opportunities for applying the GSTC Criteria in real-life situations.
GSTC Trainer: Kathleen Pessolano
Kathleen Pessolano serves as the Special Projects & Destination Assessor for the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), and a trainer for the GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training Program.
Kathleen is a leading technical expert on the application of the GSTC Criteria by businesses and government, supporting specific partnerships, special projects, and as a Destination Assessor and a GSTC Trainer. Kathleen is an attorney and international practitioner at the intersection of tourism and sustainable development. Kathleen especially enjoys working with partners devising strategies to deepen community benefits from tourism, including building capacity and market access for local entrepreneurs and other suppliers.
Kathleen is particularly passionate about coastal tourism issues and small island development. In the last decade, she has worked for the GSTC, The Heritas Group, Cultural Heritage Partners PLLC, Sustainable Travel International, and served as an attorney for the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the law firm O’Melveny & Myers LLP.
About the GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training Program (STTP)
The GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training Program (STTP) training opportunities around the world throughout the year for tourism professionals interested and engaged in sustainability. With the aim of strengthening awareness of sustainable tourism in destinations around the world, the training program covers global trends in sustainable tourism and sustainability best practices for businesses and destinations.
Learn more about the STTP and contact (training [at] gstcouncil.org) for additional information.
Follow updates on the STTP on social media with the hashtag #GSTCtraining.
