A recent survey conducted among GSTC-certified hotels has provided valuable insights into why leading properties worldwide choose certification by GSTC Accredited Certification Bodies (GSTC Certification) and how it supports their sustainability journeys. The findings highlight not only the strong motivations behind certification but also the tangible benefits hotels are experiencing as they align their [...]
- The Sustainable Tourism Academy, a fully digital training platform launched by GSTC and digital travel platform Agoda last June, has gained traction, attracting over 1,500 participants in under four months. More than half of the participants have already successfully completed the free digital training and earned their personal certificate, demonstrating commitment to advancing [...]
During his recent visit to Japan for the GSTC Japan Members Workshop 2025, GSTC CEO Randy Durband met with the Deputy Mayor of Sapporo, Osamu Kato, at the Sapporo City Hall on the 22nd of September, 2025. The discussion focused on the establishment of Sapporo’s new Destination Management Organization (DMO), which is set to [...]
This year, World Standards Day aims to highlight how standards provide a shared framework that enables meaningful collaboration across industries, governments, and organizations to achieve common objectives. Celebrated worldwide on October 14th, it recognizes the significance of standards-related efforts and underscores the crucial role standardization plays in the global economy, raising awareness among regulators, [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council® (GSTC®) is pleased to announce that the standard “Multietichetta eLabel! RDP Servizi di ricettività con o senza servizio accessorio di ristorazione (PR accommodation services with or without the additional catering service)” has gained GSTC-Recognized Standard status, meaning the standard includes criteria and indicators equivalent to the full criteria of [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) will partner with WTM London to deliver a Masterclass titled “Cutting Through the Noise: Your Step-by-Step to Credible Sustainability Success” on the 5th of November, during WTM London 2025 in the ICC Maritime Suites from 10:00h to 12:00h. Led by Dr. Mihee Kang, GSTC Chief Assurance Officer, and [...]
The third edition of the Estates General of European LGBTQ+ Tourism was held in Milan on October 1, 2025, at Milano Verticale, UNA Esperienze. The gathering served as a platform to discuss the present and future of LGBTQ+ travel, bringing together leading voices from across the tourism sector to exchange knowledge and foster collaboration. [...]
GSTC was at the European Parliament in Brussels on Wednesday, 1st of October 2025, participating in the high-level event “Establishing Sustainable Tourism Destinations in the European Union.” The event, hosted by Ms. Elena Kountoura, Member of the European Parliament and Vice-Chair of the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN), gathered key representatives [...]
The 2025 edition of the EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference took place in Balatonfüred, Hungary, from September 24 to 26, 2025. The conference was the annual gathering of stakeholders from the cycling and tourism sectors, providing a platform for discussion and exchange on recent developments and ideas related to cycling tourism, EuroVelo, and cycle [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and digital travel platform Agoda organized a sustainability training for hospitality industry professionals from the 29th to the 30th of September at the Toranomon Hills Forum in Tokyo, Japan. The program brought together local hoteliers for a series of sessions led by industry experts, aiming to provide them [...]
- The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) participated in the 7th International Conference “Standards in Tourism 2025,” which took place on September 22, 2025, in Tbilisi, Georgia. Hosted by long-term GSTC Member the Georgian Tourism Association, the event brought together leaders from government, tourism authorities, the private sector, and international organizations to exchange perspectives [...]
- The GSTC Japan Members Meeting and Workshop, hosted by Sapporo City and JaSCA (Japan Sustainability Coordinator Association), successfully concluded on 24 September 2025, gathering more than 45 participants on-site and 50 joining online. The event took place at Akarenga (the former Hokkaido Government Office) in Sapporo, an iconic Western-style building originally built in [...]
The fifth edition of the Sustainable Tourism Forum, organized by the Consorzio il Tarvisiano in collaboration with the GSTC Italy Working Group, concluded successfully in Tarvisio, with more than 80 participants. The agenda featured several international speakers from Italy, Austria, and Slovenia, embodying the cross-border nature of the Tarvisiano destination. The [...]
World Tourism Day has been held on 27 September each year since 1980. This year, World Tourism Day 2025 aims to highlight tourism’s transformative potential as an agent of positive change. Realizing this potential, however, demands more than growth alone. It requires good governance, strategic planning, robust monitoring, and clear priority setting that align [...]
Chungbuk Cultural Foundation has joined as a member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). The Chungbuk Cultural Foundation, based in Cheongju, the capital city of North Chungcheong Province, South Korea, operates from the Chungbuk Cultural and Arts Center, a landmark venue for cultural and artistic expression in the region. Positioned at [...]
Türkiye’s National Sustainable Tourism Program surpasses 2,000 GSTC-certified hotels, with certification set to become mandatory for all hotels nationwide by 2030. Türkiye signed a cooperation agreement with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) in 2022 to provide Turkish tourism with a sustainable framework and started to develop a national programme with the GSTC at [...]
- The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) participated in the “Sustainable Tourism Workshop,” held in Denizli, Türkiye, from September 15 to 18, organized by the Asian Productivity Organisation (APO) in collaboration with the Republic of Türkiye’s Eastern Mediterranean Development Agency (DOĞAKA) and Southern Aegean Development Agency (GEKA). The workshop brought together representatives from the [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), and digital travel platform Agoda organized a hotel sustainability training for industry professionals on 22-23 September at The Westin Seoul Parnas, located in Gangnam, South Korea. The program brought together local hoteliers for a series of sessions led by industry experts, aiming to provide them with [...]
The GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training, sponsored by the Setouchi Tourism Authority, was completed, bringing together members of the organization for an engaging and insightful learning experience from September 17 to 19, 2025, in Okayama, Japan. The training, conducted by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), provided the Setouchi Tourism Authority team with a comprehensive [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) participated in the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Ports & Destinations Dialogue 2025, which took place on 8–9 September in Hamburg, ahead of Seatrade Europe. The event gathered cruise lines, port authorities, destination representatives, and other key stakeholders to exchange views, identify opportunities for collaboration, and address the [...]
