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 with the competencies and tools necessary to enhance their sustainability practices.
Satomi Nakabayashi, Country Director Japan at Agoda, said, “Agoda is honored to work together with our valued hotel partners and GSTC to deliver our inaugural in-person hotel sustainability training in Japan. This initiative, a modest yet important step, aligns with our collective vision to promote more sustainable tourism. With the right knowledge and tools, we aim to accelerate this evolution.”
Using the GSTC Hotel Standard as a checklist, participants were empowered to assess their current performance and then set achievable short-, medium-, and long-term sustainability goals.
Emi Kaiwa, GSTC Finance Director, commented, “Sustainability in tourism flourishes when industry leaders join forces with a shared purpose. Agoda’s commitment to supporting hotel professionals in Japan reflects not only a dedication to building skills, but also to nurturing a tourism sector that protects cultural heritage, values local communities, and safeguards nature for generations to come. Together with Agoda, we are taking meaningful steps toward a more responsible and resilient future for tourism in Japan.”
“Participating in the GSTC-Agoda sustainability training was a wonderful opportunity to engage with industry peers. I was pleased to share practical insights that we have been applying across our properties in Japan, in the hope that they can help create a more positive impact on the environment, local communities, and also inspire our guests to be part of this journey. We look forward to continuing this momentum together with other hotel professionals, working collectively to advance a more sustainable future for the hospitality sector,” said Momoka Matsuya, Sustainability Specialist at Ascott Japan.
To date, over five hundred industry professionals have taken part in the in-person hotel sustainability trainings organized by Agoda and GSTC as part of the Sustainable Tourism Academy initiative across nine markets, including South Korea, Singapore, and Thailand.
The inaugural edition in Tokyo was attended by senior executives from leading global and local hotel brands, including Centara Hotels & Resorts, Fujita Kanko, Mitsui Fudosan Hotel Management, and Tokyu Hotels.
