The Riviera Maya's rich cultural and natural heritage attracts approximately 4 million tourists a year. It is a world-class destination featuring the best of ancient and living Mayan culture. The Riviera Maya is home to both beautiful beaches and biodiversity, including the Mesoamerican Reef System, which is the largest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere. [...]
St. Croix is a destination teeming with natural beauty, rich culture, flavorful cuisine, and a complex but fascinating history. "Unique" and "authentic" are words that locals will happily throw around, and with good cause; St. Croix is the only island on its continental plate, providing a topographical contrast to its volcanic neighbors. In addition to [...]
Flyer for Sierra Gorda’s Carbon Offset Program The GSTC Early Adopter destination Sierra Gorda is a biosphere reserve covering one-third of the state of Querétaro, in north-central México. The Sierra Gorda Reserve is of the most biodiversity-rich protected areas in México, and is a member of UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere program. Sierra Gorda [...]
The workshop provided an overview of new global criteria for sustainable tourism, examples of how tourism is supporting the new Green economy and alleviating poverty in LDC nations, shared best practices, and examined Walt Disney Company as a case study in implementing sustainable tourism practices including the 12 blue community [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council invited its members and industry professionals to the GSTC Regional Meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on September 17, 2014. The meeting coincided with the Responsible Travel Pavilion at PATA Travel Mart. Following a brief presentation on current GSTC activities and future plans, participants engaged in [...]
The Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) and Visit Mexico will host the ATMEX Summit August 22-29 in Chiapas, Mexico. The summit will explore Mexico’s adventure travel offerings and provide opportunities for long-term business partnerships. According to the hosts, the goal of the event is “to inspire operators in Mexico to continue to pursue adventure travel [...]
Sierra Gorda, Mexico The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) conducted its Early Adopter program from 2012 through early 2014. During the program, a diverse group of fourteen forward-thinking destinations worldwide pilot tested the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria for Destinations. Each Early Adopter underwent a baseline destination sustainability assessment [...]
Tourism has been a crucial economic driver on St. Croix for many years and the island has been careful to avoid over- development that might detract from its varied natural and cultural assets. As part of the island’s strategic plan to increase visitation, St Croix has been exploring ways to [...]
Mexican coastline destination adopts criteria and indicators for sustainable tourism WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 1st, 2014) – One of Mexico’s iconic tourism destinations, the Riviera Maya in the State of Quintana Roo, has become the first destination on the Mexican Caribbean coast to complete the Global Sustainable Tourism Council’s (GSTC) Early Adopter Program. “At the [...]
The Ibero-American Forum in Sustainable Tourism (FITS) will be held from October 14 to 17, 2014 in Cajon del Maipo, right outside Chile’s capital. This edition of the Forum FITS will focus on entrepreneurship and aims to provide a platform to meet and exchange knowledge on sustainable tourism in the region. During the 4-day event, [...]
WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 21, 2014) – The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) conducted its Early Adopter program from 2012 through early 2014. During the program, a diverse group of fourteen forward-thinking destinations worldwide pilot tested the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria for Destinations. Each Early Adopter underwent a baseline destination sustainability [...]
Dr. Dirk Glaesser has joined the GSTC Board of Directors. Dr Dirk Glaesser is the Director for the Sustainable Development Programme of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Along with UNEP, the United Nations Environment Programme, UNWTO maintains a permanent seat on the GSTC Board of Directors. As of June 1st 2014, Dirk assumed that [...]
The GSTC 2014 Board Elections are now open for nominations! The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is now welcoming nominations and applications for board members, including self-nominations, now, through July 31. Board members of the GSTC will provide balanced and broad geographical representation, insight, expertise, and commitment to the highest operational authority for the organization, [...]
Mexican coastline destination adopts criteria and indicators for sustainable tourism WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 1st, 2014) – One of Mexico’s iconic tourism destinations, the Riviera Maya in the State of Quintana Roo, has become the first destination on the Mexican Caribbean coast to complete the Global Sustainable Tourism Council’s (GSTC) Early [...]
Our Native Village, an eco-resort for holistic health located outside of Bangalore, is at the forefront of sustainable hospitality in India. The 24-room resort has a fully natural swimming pool, a spa, and a 12-acre organic farm that serves the guests sustainable food. Working with the GSTC criteria, Our Native Village now generates 75% [...]
June 26, 2014 - The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is pleased to announce the launch of the GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training Program. The training program is designed to educate travel and tourism professionals on key factors needed to integrate sustainability into a destination, business or organization. Highlights include discussions about current best practices, [...]
Industry professionals gather in one of the most important annual conferences in Sustainable TourismBonito, Brazil (April 28, 2014) – Located in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Bonito is a quiet and astonishing destination with a population of almost 20,000 inhabitants. True to its name -Bonito means beautiful in Portuguese- this simple-life village [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council welcomes its members, guests speakers, destination management, hotel and tourism representatives to its annual general meeting. The first day of the two-day conference hosted by the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference is beginning today in Bonito, Brazil. Today's agenda includes keynotes by Daniel de Granville, ecotourism expert, and author of [...]
Since the late 1990s, Samoa has held a pivotal leadership role in Sustainable Tourism practices and the Early Adopter Program provided the destination with an opportunity to benchmark its performance in the international context. The Independent State of Samoa is made up of 10 islands in the Polynesia, covering a total area of 2,831 square-kilometers. Remarkably beautiful, [...]
First destination in the South Pacific Region to adopt criteria and indicators for sustainable tourism WASHINGTON, D.C. (March, 2014) – Samoa is the first South Pacific destination to complete the Global Sustainable Tourism Council’s (GSTC) Early Adopter Program and the second destination in the world to do so at the national level. Since the [...]
