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The GSTC Private Sustainable Tourism Training Course, sponsored by JTB Corp for their staff and held in Tokyo from August 27 to 29, 2025, concluded successfully. A total of 26 participants attended the training at JTB Corp’s headquarters. The training was led by GSTC Trainer Dr. Mami Futagami, Emeritus Professor at Meijo University, and GSTC Co-trainer Naomi Oiwa, GSTC’s Japan Market Development Manager.
The course aimed to enhance the understanding of sustainable tourism among JTB staff members and deepen their foundational knowledge of GSTC Standards, while also preparing them to apply these standards in real-world situations. The three-day training included GSTC presentations, group discussions, and field trips to the Tokyo Station Hotel and the Marunouchi Buildings, as well as the surrounding area developed by Mitsubishi Estate. The site visit to the hotel provided an opportunity to observe how sustainability practices are implemented through their CO2-zero Stay Program, efforts to reduce food waste, the use of glass cups made from recycled car glass, and local support initiatives, including donations to a forest conservation organization.
Participants learnt firsthand about Mitsubishi Estate’s wide range of sustainability initiatives. One of the highlights was a project involving elementary school children and their parents, dedicated to restoring aquatic plants and wildlife in the Imperial Palace moat — a meaningful example of a nature-positive approach that fosters biodiversity and community engagement.
GSTC Trainer, Dr. Mami Futagami, said, “All the 26 trainees are those who are considered to be leading JTB’s enhancing sustainability initiatives, particularly in the divisions of developing tour contents. I felt incredibly privileged to train such a highly motivated group of staff members. It is for sure that sustainability has become a core value of JTB’s wide range of global as well as domestic travel and tourism businesses.”
If you are interested in contributing to the industry’s sustainable transformation, consider checking out GSTC’s upcoming courses here.
