Build a thriving place through innovation and conscious governanceIn April 2024, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) hosted #GSTC2024Sweden International Conference on “Purposeful Travel”, in collaboration with Visit Sweden and the Agency for Growth (Tillväxtverket). To convey key insights, Visit Sweden summarized the event in six articles on “Sustainable Hospitality” (Hållbar Besöksnäring).

 ‘’Build a Thriving Place Through Innovation and Conscious Governance’’ (Bygg en blomstrande plats genom innovation och medveten styrning Ett medvetet resande var temat för den kongres) highlights key insights on destination management and sustainable development from the event.

Collaboration at the Destination Level

Moderated by CB Ramkumar, GSTC’s Program Director – South Asia, this session stressed the need for collaboration among stakeholders to enhance sustainability. Camilla Zedendahl emphasized that understanding benefits for the destination is key for engagement. Challenges include varying competencies and stakeholder involvement, but collaboration leads to shared goals and improved branding. 

For details, watch the panel recording here and explore more in the full panel with:

  • Cheh Hsien Lee – Assistant Chief Executive, Corporate and Sustainability, Sentosa Development Corporation – Singapore
  • Camilla Zedendahl – CEO, Royal Djurgården Society.
  • Annika Sandström – Region Tourism Chief, Region Västerbotten.
  • Susana Vicente Álamo – Director ESG, Peninsula Papagayo.

Destination Management and Guest Experience

The GSTC Destination Criteria protects destinations’ integrity. Wolfgang Töchterle highlighted the importance of involving local residents in tourism planning, while Lennart Pittja stressed the engagement of indigenous communities. Annika Fredriksson  discussed sustainable practices in Swedish Lapland.

Watch the panel recording here and explore more in the full panel with:

  • Wolfgang Töchterle – Director Marketing & Member of the Management Board at IDM Südtirol-Alto Adige
  • Annika Fredriksson – CEO Swedish Lapland Visitors Board
  • Sri Mujiyati – Director, Viavia Tour & Travel Jogja
  • Lennart Pittja’s presentation – Owner & Founder, Sápmi Nature Camp; Leadership Council, World Indigenous Tourism Alliance (WINTA).

The Rise of Bleisure Travel

The “Bleisure” travel trend—combining business with leisure—is growing and promotes longer stays during off-peak seasons, benefiting sustainability. The panel discussed the need for flexible accommodations and measuring this segment.

Build a thriving place through innovation and conscious governance

For deeper insights, watch the panel recording here and access the Bleisure panel featuring:

  • Jukka Punamäki’s presentation – Senior Advisor, Tourism, City of Helsinki
  • Olivia Ruggles-Brise’s presentation – Vice President Sustainability, BCD Travel
  • Sven Wiltink’s presentation – Global Senior Director Sustainability, Radisson Hotel Group

Sustainability Certification for Hotels

National tourism organizations are collaborating with hotels to adopt sustainable practices. Highlights include Türkiye’s Sustainable Tourism Program and Malta’s National Sustainable Hotels Programme.

Watch the panel recording here and and learn more in the panel featuring:

  • Elif Balcı Fisunoğlu’s presentation – Deputy General Manager, Tourism Operations and Development, Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA)
  • Kevin Fsadni’s presentation – Director of Product Development, Malta Tourism Authority (MTA)
  • Lindsay Morvan’s presentation – Director, Mauritius Tourism Authority

Data-Driven Solutions in Tourism

Satellite data is becoming essential for destination planning and environmental protection. Companies shared how they use this data for disaster preparedness and visitor management.

For insights, watch the panel recording here and view the session featuring:

  • Jahanzeeb Ahmed’s presentation – CCO, BeCause.
  • Tarek Habib – Co-Founder and CEO, Murmuration.
  • Dr. Bijan Khazai’s presentation – CEO, Risklayer.
  • Guillaume Tuan Prigent – ​​Business Development and Partnerships Officer, European Space Agency (ESA).
  • Peter Vaník’s presentation – Market, Downstream and Innovation Consultant, European Union Agency for the Space Program (EUSPA).

Measuring and Evaluating Sustainability

Reliable evaluation is crucial for sustainable tourism. Maria Wiberg discussed using transaction data to assess tourism impacts and the challenges of measuring social metrics.

Watch the panel recording here and discover more in the panel with:

  • Theofilos Kyratsoulis – General Manager – MINDHAUS.
  • Kate Heiny – Vice President of Sustainability, Booking Holdings.
  • Maria Wiberg’s presentation – Analyst, Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (Tillväxtverket).
  • Matt Callaghan’s presentation – Chief Operating Officer, EasyJet holidays.

Nordic Sustainability Programs and the GSTC Framework

This session compared Nordic strategies for sustainable tourism, including Finland’s Sustainable Travel Finland program and Norway’s Sustainable Destination program, both aligned with GSTC criteria

For detailed discussions, watch the panel recording here and explore the panel featuring:

  • Ingunn Sørnes’ presentation – Special Advisor on Sustainability, Innovation Norway.
  • Liisa Kokkarinen’s presentation – Head of Sustainable Development, Visit Finland.

Continue reading Visit Sweden’s original article here to explore these insights further. Also, read more about the article series Visit Sweden launched about “Sustainable Hospitality” (Hållbar Besöksnäring) here.

For additional resources and information on GSTC’s Criteria, visit our website. For more insights about GSTC’s past Conferences check here.