The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is pleased to announce the release of the GSTC Industry Criteria, which had been under development for most of 2016. The GSTC Industry Criteria serve as the 3rd revision to GSTC Hotel & Tour Operator Criteria, hence the reference to “version 3” in their formal name. To distinguish [...]
European Tourism Indicator System – ETIS – Joint Conference on Managing and Promoting Sustainable and Accessible Tourism Destinations A joint event combining a conference on the European Tourism Indicators System (ETIS) and a workshop on accessible tourism take place in Brussels 28 January 2016. GSTC Chair Luigi Cabrini served on [...]
The Guidelines are intended to apply to all forms of tourism accommodation, from large hotels and resorts to a remote community based guesthouse in Papua New Guinea! The GSTC has been a member of International Standards Organisation Technical Committee on Tourism for a number of years and was a major [...]
The Cayman Islands, the GSTC's latest destination member, recently underwent a GSTC comprehensive assessment of its sustainability as part of the GSTC's Destinations Program. The procurement and organization of the assessment for the Cayman Islands were spearheaded by the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (CIDOT) and Cayman Department of Environment. The GSTC's Destinations Program [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council is revising the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria for Hotels and Tour Operators version 2.0 (GSTC-HTO) which is due for a scheduled revision, and expanding the GSTC-HTO and to become the GSTC-Industry. […]
Held in Guanajuato, Mexico, this training provided participants with a dynamic environment to learn the Criteria and indicators through structured working days utilizing theory, practices and real life examples from the local region. The training also included a panel discussion with federal and local authorities across public and private sectors to address empowerment, entrepreneurship, financial [...]
GSTC board member Kelly Bricker, along with Rosemary Black, contributed the chapter “Framework for Understanding Sustainability in the Context of Tourism Operators” to the newly published Reframing Sustainable Tourism. The GSTC Criteria for Hotels and Tour Operators features prominently in the chapter, which serves to help operators maximize their impact on social, economic, environmental and cultural heritage [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council was awarded the presigious “Premio Gorila” Award for 2014 by Loro Parque. The GSTC received the award for its environmental responsibility as the most important contributor to the proper management of the environment sustaining ecotourism and being socially sustainable. Loro Parque noted in particular the addition of GSTC’s Sustainable Training [...]
The autonomous region of Catalonia in Spain received on November 19 the Biosphere certification for sustainable management, economic and social development, conservation of cultural heritage, environmental conservation, quality and safety. The certification was awarded in a ceremony with the presence of the president of the Responsible Tourism Institute, which managed the Biosphere certification, the chair [...]
GSTC has signed a landmark agreement with three Korean public agencies for long-term collaboration in advancing sustainability in travel and tourism throughout Korea, the Asia-Pacific, and globally. Gyeonggi Province, the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization (GTO), and the City of Suwon (capital city of Gyeonggi Province) have agreed to coordinate their efforts in a partnership with GSTC [...]
Impact Travel Alliance (ITA) is a large community for impact-focused travel professionals. Through education and advocacy around sustainable tourism, the organization aims to transform the travel industry into a force for good, and to help improve the world through business and leisure travel. ITA is an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit with a highly engaged and active [...]
October 19, 2015 – Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism has signed an agreement with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) to collaborate for the development of sustainable tourism in Indonesia. Minister of Tourism Arief Yahya gave a keynote address commemorating World Tourism Day to an audience of [...]
(October 12th, 2015) – In the beginning of September, TourCert launched the ideas competition FAIRWÄRTS. The competition focuses on ideas for sustainability and responsibility in tourism. This new competition fosters innovation in business in addition to helping advance sustainable tourism. By submitting ideas or examples of best practices, tourism enterprises [...]
From 9-13 November, 2015, the second training workshop for leaders on Global Tourism Criteria and its application in sustainable development and sustainable tourism in Mexico and Latin America took place in Guanajuato, Mexico. The program addressed how the GSTC criteria has been implemented in the management of tourist destinations. Activities [...]
(29 September 2015) The WTTC Tourism for Tomorrow Awards are once again open for entries. WTTC invites those showcasing best practice in sustainable tourism across the world to submit their applications for this coveted international award. Applications for the 12th Tourism for Tomorrow Awards can be submitted online using our easy application tool. More information about [...]
The ASEAN-ROK Forest Cooperation (AFoCo) held a week-long event under the theme of “Mobilizing People and Forest Together for Greener Asia” in accordance with AFoCo’s objectives to facilitate forest cooperation, undertake projects and translate sound forest policies and proven technologies into action with a mission to rehabilitate degraded forest land [...]
(28 September 2015) The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and The Asian Ecotourism Network (AEN) have formalized a partnership through a joint Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Areas of cooperation that the groups have agreed on include the support and endorsement of GSTC Criteria, awareness of good sustainability practices and joint advocacy and policy development activities. [...]
September 25, 2015 – The International Chamber of Commerce and the United Nations Global Compact today launched “Scaling Up Sustainable Collaboration: Contributions of Business Associations and Sector Initiatives to Sustainable Development,” a joint publication on industry associations and sustainable development. The launch occurred at the SDG Business Forum, part of the Post-2015 Development Agenda Summit [...]
September 22nd, 2015 – The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and Thailand’s Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA), signed an agreement for DASTA to conduct the GSTC Sustainability Training program in the Thai language throughout Thailand. Dr.Nalikatibhag Sangsnit, Director-General of DASTA said he was delighted that DASTA once again has cooperation with a high [...]
(September 22nd, 2015) – The Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network (WFEN) is a global community formed around showcasing, recognizing and sharing the stories of great conservation enterprises around the world – enterprises that are win-win-wins for people, planet and profit through the certification of products. WFEN’s effective conservation model can be [...]
