The Destination Sustainability Comprehensive is an opportunity for destination managers to learn their current status according to the leading international standard, the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria for Destinations. The GSTC Sustainability Comprehensive involves up to 10 days in the destination, including site visits, detailed analysis of the destination's documented policies, and intensive liaison with destination [...]
The GSTC Criteria serve as basic guidelines for businesses, organizations and destinations that wish to address sustainability issues in the travel and tourism industry. It is composed of a set of standards and provides assurance that the main principles of responsible tourism are being covered. In reality, the GSTC criteria represents a commitment to the [...]
January 20, 2015 – The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is pleased to announce that the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism’s Green Star Hotel program has achieved ‘GSTC Recognized’ status. The awarded status affirms Green Star Hotel’s commitment to promote sustainable tourism products and services. Green Star Hotel is a national [...]
"The diverse players of the travel and tourism industry have shown very mixed efforts in trying to “do the right things” for the environment and people, and have had very mixed results. That’s why effective use of universal standards for sustainability is essential. Some of the most prominent guidelines are for global hotel operations, [...]
Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and Tour Operators’ Initiative (TOI) Join Forces Merger creates global champion in sustainable travel and tourism Madrid, Spain, 22 December 2014 – The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and the Tour Operators’ Initiative for Sustainable Tourism Development (TOI) announce their merger, as approved by the boards of directors of each [...]
The GSTC Latin America Regional Meeting was held in Quito, Ecuador prior to the start of the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference (ESTC15). The meeting was structured in part like a workshop, presentations and round-table discussions center around sustainable tourism standards, destination management, industry best practices, GSTC-led programs, with a [...]
The tourism industry has the potential to be a good and powerful force on our planet. When responsibly managed, it enriches lives, and preserves natural resources and cultural heritage. More frequently these days, travelers take this into account and seek authentic holiday experiences, to choose a responsible tour operator, book a hotel with a sustainability [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) announces the appointment of Mr. Guy Chester as its new Technical Director. The position includes responsibility for managing the GSTC’s vital role in setting and disseminating its global baseline standards for sustainability in the travel and tourism industry. Two sets of standards, one for destinations and the other for [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council proudly welcomes the news that longtime GSTC Members and GSTC Recognized Standards, Rainforest Alliance and Travelife, will be teaming up to give travelers more options when booking sustainable accommodations. The two organizations signed an agreement in which all accommodations that meet the criteria of Rainforest Alliance certification for [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) recently launched the Sustainability Training Program to meet the growing worldwide demand for sustainable tourism education and training. Since the introduction of the GSTC Criteria in 2008, the GSTC continues to strive for universal adoption of sustainable [...]
In November, the Mayor of Arona, a major coastal destination in Tenerife, one of the Spanish Canary Islands, signed a commitment letter with the President of the Institute for Responsible Tourism (ITR), Tomas Azcarate and the Chair of the GSTC, Luigi Cabrini. The destination engages in advancing a tourism model based on the principles [...]
From November 20th thru 21st the Responsible Tourism Institute (ITR) hosted the “GSTC Destinations Community, Barcelona Summit” in Barcelona, Spain, a Biosphere World Class Destination. The 2-day summit created a space where committed destinations could further reinforce the applications of the environmental, social, cultural, and economic principles at the core of the GSTC Criteria. Attendance [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council celebrates the use of the GSTC Criteria in the selection process of The National Geographic Society’s World Legacy Awards. The National Geographic Society recently revealed the 15 finalists of the World Legacy Awards, a remarkable co-initiative in partnership with ITB Berlin, to feature the leading industry organizations and destinations ranging [...]
From September 1-4, 2014 delegates at the 3rd Annual United Nations Conference on Small Islands and Developing States (http://www.sids2014.org) discussed the role of sustainable tourism in the future of these areas. A draft outcome document was created that calls on the support of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). The future of Small Islands and [...]
The Responsible Tourism Institute (ITR) hosted the GSTC Destinations Community Summit on November 20-21, 2014 in Barcelona, Spain. This 2-day event was open to destinations certified under a GSTC-Approved standard, destinations that have undergone a GSTC sustainability assessment, destinations currently in the process of certification and destinations that have formally expressed their [...]
The IUCN World Parks Congress (WPC) is the most influential gathering of world leaders to discuss protected areas management. It takes place every 10 years and the last one was held between November 12 – 19, 2014 in Sydney, Australia. In between sessions, The Tourism and Protected Areas Specialist Group [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council CEO, Randy Durband, has been named Special Advisor to the creation of the Top 100 Sustainable Destination annual list. The initiative was created by GSTC member Albert Salman (Green Destinations) and Valere Tjolle (TravelMole, VISION for Sustainable Tourism, Totem Tourism). The Top 100 Sustainable Destinations list aims to encourage stakeholders [...]
The 12th annual meeting of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, Conference of the Parties (CBD COP12) just concluded in Pyeongchang, Republic of Korea. During this 11-day event, many government authorities, world leaders and professionals of various fields shared common vision and adopted the strategic framework for capacity building agreeing to enhance public awareness [...]
Washington, D.C. (October 21, 2014) GSTC Early Adopter St. Kitts is the 2014 recipient of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (“CTO”) / TravelMole Sustainable Tourism Award for Destination Stewardship. St. Kitts Ministry of Tourism Permanent Secretary Patricia Martin and Assistant Permanent Secretary Diannille Taylor-Williams accepted the award on behalf of St. [...]
Washington, D.C. (October 7, 2014) Randy Durband, Chief Executive Officer of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), presented at the International Conference on Community Development (ICCDT), PATA Youth Symposium, and PATA Travel Mart held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia from September 16-19, 2014. The events were organized by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and the Ministry [...]
