The GSTC Sustainable Tourism Course for staff of the Seychelles Department of Tourism concluded successfully. The in-person training in the Seychelles from 26 January to 5 February 2025, was conducted by GSTC Trainer Dr. Anna Spenceley FRGS.
The course was designed to enhance staff members’ understanding of sustainable tourism practices. A total of 17 participants from the Department of Tourism attended a 5-day training course, which included a combination of GSTC presentations, sessions on the, group work, case study discussions and field trips to the Constance Ephelia resort and the Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort and Spa on, which are both certified under the Sustainable Seychelles label. The site visits provided an opportunity to observe how sustainability practices are implemented at the property level and to engage in discussions with resort staff on relevant approaches and challenges. Also, 26 participants took part in a 1-day training event on the GSTC Standards and Sustainable Seychelles label, including the Department of Tourism, Seychelles Tourism Academy, and the Seychelles Island Foundation.
The content of the course was structured around the GSTC Standards (known previously as the GSTC Criteria), which serve as the global standards for sustainability in travel and tourism. These standards offer a practical framework to guide decision-making related to environmental, cultural, social, and economic sustainability in tourism development and management.
The GSTC Trainer, Dr. Anna Spenceley said, “I was very impressed by the level of engagement by course participants in both training sessions, who shared some fascinating experiences and ideas for engaging the tourism sector in sustainability actions. We really appreciated the field trip hosts at the Constance Ephelia resort and the Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort and Spa to see the GSTC Standards and Sustainable Seychelles being applied in practice.”
If you are interested in contributing to the industry’s sustainable transformation, consider checking out GSTC’s upcoming courses here.
