Become a Certified Destination

Being certified sustainable by a Certification Body that is Accredited means that your destination complies with the highest social and environmental standards on the market. As public concern grows about the harmful effects and the positive impacts of travel and tourism, certification provides you with a credible solution to complex environmental and social issues.

Travel providers should proudly display information regarding their certificate and the certifying body that issued it. Doing so informs your stakeholders — from customers to ownership and to your supply chain — that your business is operated with sound management that looks to the future and not merely at today.

To view destinations that have been certified by a GSTC-accredited Certification Body, see the GSTC Sustainable Destinations Map.

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How to become certified as a Sustainable Destination

GSTC can assist destinations in the early stages of their journey to sustainability, before they are ready to apply for certification, see the GSTC Destination Program

To become certified, tourist destinations shall:

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Choose from the list below, of “Certification Bodies” that are Accredited or “Certification Schemes” that are committed to partnering exclusively with accredited Certification Bodies.

When choosing a CB, you should consider evaluating two or more certification bodies to find the one that suits your needs most regarding language abilities, experience, or location proximity.

The Certification Body may require Destination to officially register, fill out an application and pay a one-time fee. Some certification bodies may require Destination to enter into a contract with the certification body. Contracts should always be read carefully prior to agreement. 

Prior to starting the certification process, some certification bodies offer the option to conduct a short self-evaluation to determine if certification is worth the time, money and effort. Costs may be associated with this step.

Once ready to formally start the certification process, the Destination will submit an application. The Certification Body will request information and various business documents to see how the Destination’s practices and procedures comply with the GSTC standard. The documents should be submitted within the deadline stipulated by the Certification Body. 

The Certification Body will review all documentation submitted and compare to their GSTC Recognized Standard. During this period the Certification Body will consult the Destination to clarify any questions about its operations. The length of this process can vary depending on the extent of the Destination’s documented policies.

The Certification Body will visit the Destination premises to see how its policies are implemented.

After the Certification Body’s assessment, the Destination should have a chance to view a draft report and voice any factual objections. This period allows the operator to contest or provide any supporting information to support certification. The Certification Body’s report will then be finalized, shared with the Destination, concluding whether certification can be awarded.

Certification is issued once the Certification Body has confirmed that the Destination meets the GSTC standard. A formal certificate will be issued by the Certification Body. 

If the certification application is not approved right away, the assessor would provide the Destination with recommendations and corrective actions. Destination can then work with the Certification Body’s dedicated customer service representative to show the Certification Body that these corrective actions have been followed, so the Destination can achieve certification. 

The Certification Body will review the progress and improvements made for any corrective actions that were requested as the Destination nears the date for renewal of certification. Audit duration and frequency can depend on the Destination’s size and complexity of operations. Most certification bodies require an annual onsite audit every 1.5 to 3 years.

Destination should check with the Certification Body to see when the certification renewal process should begin. It generally is between 4-6 weeks prior to the expiration of certification.

GSTC-accredited Certification Bodies for Destinations

EarthCheck

EarthCheck 150x150EarthCheck is a leading scientific benchmarking, certification and advisory group for travel and tourism. Since 1987, we have helped businesses, communities and governments to deliver clean, safe, prosperous and healthy destinations for travellers to visit, live, work and play. The EarthCheck program is built on Agenda 21 principles and is currently used in more than 70 countries across the globe in six languages. EarthCheck patented software and systems have set a benchmark for sustainability reporting for the travel and tourism industry.

  1. Accredited Tourism Activity for Certification
    • Destination
  2. Reference Standard for Certification
    • GSTC Destination Standard
  3. Accredited Geographic Area: Worldwide

To be certified by EarthCheck, visit this link to Get Certified by EarthCheck.

Green Destinations

Green Destinations (GD) is a non-profit organisation of experts and destination ambassadors working in 80 countries. GD supports a large community of local, regional and country destination managers and stakeholders, enhancing destination sustainability, market visibility, and tourism quality. The GD Certification Committee supervises certification and benchmark awards (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum) based upon the GSTC- Recognized GD Standard, and other (e.g. national) standards. GD offers destinations and countries with state-of-the-art tools for baseline assessment, monitoring, reporting and strategic development, also in relation to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

  1. Accredited Tourism Activity for Certification
    • Destination
  2. Reference Standard for Certification
    • GSTC Destination Standard
    • Green Destinations Standard
    • IDM South Tyrol
    • Mountain IDEAL
  3. Accredited Geographic Area: Worldwide

To be certified by Green Destinations, visit this link to Get Certified by Green Destinations.

Vireo Srl

Vireo Srl is a certification company whose commercial activities consist of providing Italian and foreign companies with environmental certification services. Vireo provides worldwide recognized environmental certification schemes such as FSC, MSC, and GSTC. As a GSTC-accredited certification body, Vireo certifies hotels, TOs, and destinations as sustainable worldwide. The professional approach and deep knowledge of standards are the key elements that mark Viero’s services. Based in Padova, Italy, Vireo has international experience and works with professional and highly qualified auditors.

  1. Accredited Tourism Activity for Certification
    • Destination
  2. Reference Standard for Certification
    • GSTC Destination Standard
  3. Accredited Geographic Area: Worldwide

To be certified by Vireo Srl, contact them directly at info@vireosrl.it or visit this link to Get Certified by Vireo Srl.

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NOTE:

  • Certification by a certifying body whose standard is “GSTC-Recognized” does NOT constitute being Certified by GSTC. “GSTC Recognized” relates to a published set of standards and NOT to the process of certification. Click here to learn more about GSTC-Recognized and to view lists of standards that are  Recognized by the GSTC as aligned with the GSTC Standard.

  • The above standards have been Accredited as in compliance with the requirements of the GSTC Accreditation Manual. The Accredited mark means that the certification procedures largely meet international standards for transparency, impartiality, and competence.

Sample Questions to Ask a Certification Body:

  1. How much will it cost to become certified? Do you offer group pricing in order to reduce costs? Are there other special pricing arrangements you can offer me?
  2. Do you offer the option to conduct a pre-assessment to see how my business measures up to the GSTC Criteria and whether we might run into any challenges prior to conducting the certification audit?
  3. How long do you anticipate the certification assessment process will take with a company of our size?
  4. During the assessment process, what type of documents will you ask our company to provide? Is there a document noting what we will need that we can review beforehand?
  5. In addition to conducting the assessment, what other support services and/or tools are included for me to manage my compliance with the sustainability standard?
  6. Does your company offer destinations undergoing certification a dedicated customer service personnel?
  7. What happens if we fail to attain certification?
  8. Can you provide a reference from a customer, comparative to our business that has undergone an assessment with your certification body?