Tricolage certified to the GSTC Criteria by Control Union

Tricolage certified to the GSTC Criteria by Control Union

Tricolage Inc., an inbound travel consulting company that promotes sustainable tourism in Japan, has been certified to the GSTC Criteria by Control Union (a GSTC-Accredited Certification Body) in December 2022, making Tricolage the first tour operator in Japan to achieve GSTC Certification by Control Union.

Previous Background

Before the pandemic, while the inbound market was showing rapid growth, there were various problems brought about by tourism in Japan, such as the burden on local residents and the negative impact on the environment. Since its establishment in 2020, Tricolage has continued to propose sustainable travel solutions based on the belief that tourism should bring happiness not only to travelers, but also to the regions that host them, the environment, and the tourism industry itself. In this context, the pursuit of being certified to the GSTC Criteria, a rigorous global standard, was an important step in fulfilling the company’s mission.

As the environment surrounding the tourism industry changes drastically due to the pandemic, travelers are looking for ways to travel more responsibly and to make meaningful changes to help preserve our planet. Nowadays, efforts to address the SDGs and sustainability in the tourism industry are being strengthened in many parts of Japan. Tricolage will continue to contribute to the promotion of sustainable tourism in Japan by providing solutions to local governments and the tourism industry, and by proposing sustainable travel to inbound travelers.

A major step forward in promoting sustainable tourism in Japan in line with international standards.

“The curtailment of travel during the covid pandemic has given us the opportunity to rethink the way we live and travel, and to re-recognize that traveling is an essential part of our daily life. It is a great honor that Tricolage has appointed Control Union as their certification body. We congratulate Tricolage on becoming the first Tour Operator in Japan to receive GSTC Certification” says Jiro Omura, Deputy Management Director of Control Union Japan.

“We are honored to be the first tour operator in Japan to achieve the GSTC Certification by Control Union. The road to certification was not an easy one, but we have been working hard to achieve our mission since we started the company, which is to drive sustainable tourism in Japan and to create happiness for all by crafting innovative and sustainable journeys. As the tourism industry is increasingly required to work towards sustainable tourism, we, as a GSTC-certified tour operator, will do our utmost to further develop sustainable tourism in the future.” says Benjamin Wong, CEO of Tricolage.

Randy Durband, GSTC CEO, says: “Congratulations to the team at Tricolage for this true testament to their hard work and dedication to operating in highly sustainable ways. They are worthy of rewards in the marketplace for their earth-friendly and social-friendly business practices.”

To learn more about Tricolage Sustainable practices go to https://www.tricolage.com/about-us 

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 Accreditation of 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; GSTC provides an accreditation program through its partner Assurance Services International to accredit Certification Bodies. 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, NGO’s, 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/