The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) has published its 2025 Annual Report, which presents an overview of the organization’s work over the past year and highlights key developments across its main areas of activity. The report reflects GSTC’s continued commitment to advancing sustainable tourism globally through the GSTC Standards, its Sustainable Tourism Training Program [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) announces the release of its 2025 Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Report, marking the third consecutive year of systematic performance review and organizational learning. Previously titled the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Report, the updated name emphasizes learning alongside monitoring and evaluation, reinforcing GSTC’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) joined the Second Regional Meeting of Auditors of the Central American Integrated System for Quality and Sustainability (SICCS) in Belize from 24 - 25 March 2026. SICCS is a seal of tourism quality for MSMEs in the Central American Region. Organized by the ‘Secretaría de Integración Turística Centroamericana’ [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) has published a revised version 5.0 of the GSTC Accreditation Manual for Certification Bodies – Hotel/Accommodation, Tour Operator, MICE, and Attraction. This version reflects the expansion of accreditation scopes to include MICE (covering venues, event organizers, and events/exhibitions) and Attraction certification. The revised Manual was approved on March [...]
TOKYU HOTELS has joined as a member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) TOKYU HOTELS is a hotel brand operated by the Tokyu Group, managing a portfolio of hotels across Japan. Through its hotel operations, the company provides accommodation and hospitality services across a range of brands, serving both business and leisure travelers [...]
The MICE sector is increasingly integrating sustainability into its planning and operations, driven by evolving industry expectations and the need for more responsible and sustainable practices. In this context, having clear, practical frameworks is essential to support consistent, measurable implementation. The GSTC MICE Standard was launched last year (for Venues, Event Organizers, and Events [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF), transnational coordinator of EuroVelo, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a formal framework for cooperation. This Memorandum of Understanding reflects a shared interest in advancing sustainability principles and encouraging greater alignment between tourism, mobility, and responsible development. Through this [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) participated in the international in-person ‘’Workshop to Identify Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Environmental, Social and Economic Issues for Tourism Enterprises, under the framework of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Lima, Peru, on February 25 and 26, 2026. The workshop formed part of [...]
GSTC Auditor Training in Milan, Italy Date: June 3-4, 2026 Location: Milan, Italy Venue: Cristoforo Colombo Milan (Corso Buenos Aires, 3, 20124 Milano MI, Italy) Language: English Scope: GSTC Destination Standard Important Notice - Please note that this training covers the GSTC Standards for Destinations, not for Hotels & Tour Operators. *This training [...]
The Yuluca Alliance (AYLAC) will be present at WTM Latin America 2026, taking place from April 14-16, 2026, in São Paulo, Brazil. During the event, Jorge Moller, GSTC Latin America & Caribbean Program Director, will participate in the session “Sustainable Management and Certification: Pathways for Implementing the GSTC Standards in Latin America and the [...]
GSTC Auditor Training in Istanbul, Turkiye Date: March 12-13, 2026 Location: Istanbul, Turkiye Venue: TITANIC PORT BAKIRKOY Language: English Scope: GSTC Destination Standard Important Notice - Please note that this training covers the GSTC Standards for Destinations, not for Hotels & Tour Operators. *This training may be canceled if the minimum number of [...]
GSTC Auditor Training in Phuket (H): April 18-20, 2026 GSTC Auditor Training in Thailand Date: April 18-20, 2026 Location: Phuket, Thailand Venue: Courtyard by Marriott Phuket Town Hotel Language: English Scope: GSTC Hotel Standard IMPORTANT UPDATE: This training will focus on the revised Hotel Standard (v4 - 2025). Participants are expected to [...]
GSTC Auditor Training in Phuket for Destination: April 19-20, 2026 GSTC Auditor Training in Phuket, Thailand Date: April 19-20, 2026 Location: Phuket, Thailand Venue: Venue: Courtyard by Marriott Phuket Town Hotel Language: English Scope: GSTC Destination Standard Important Notice - Please note that this training covers the GSTC Standards for Destinations, not [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Destination Assessment of Phuket took place between October 2024 and September 2025. It provided a comprehensive overview of the region’s sustainable tourism practices across four key pillars: Sustainable Management, Socio-economic Sustainability, Cultural Sustainability, and Environmental Sustainability. Phuket is Thailand’s largest island and a well-established tourism destination located in [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) has launched the GSTC Futures Lab for Sustainable Tourism, a new initiative aimed at strengthening the role of research, data, and evidence-based insights in advancing sustainable tourism globally. The Futures Lab has been established to support GSTC’s mission of increasing knowledge, understanding, and adoption of sustainable tourism practices. [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is pleased to announce the successful completion of the revision process for the GSTC Industry Standard for Hotels and Tour Operators, version 3. As a result, the previous single standard (GSTC Industry Standard), which included two sets of suggested performance indicators for hotels and tour operators, has now [...]
The 4th GSTC Academic Symposium will be held in Phuket, Thailand, on April 21st, just before the 2026 Global Sustainable Tourism Conference. This one-day in-person symposium convenes researchers, academics, and practitioners to engage in diverse dialogues on sustainability in tourism, following the same established methodology that has guided previous editions. The program brings together academic [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is announcing the launch of its very first training course dedicated to the tourism attractions industry: the GSTC Sustainable Attraction Online Course. The course will help businesses and organizations understand how to integrate sustainability into the development, management, and daily operations of tourist attractions. This inaugural course marks [...]
The international conference “Smart and Sustainable Tourism: Impacts, Approaches and Solutions” took place on 5 December 2025 at the IUAV University of Venice. The event was organised within the framework of the Interreg Italy–Croatia Program, co-funded by the European Union, and developed under the ADRIJO ROUTES project. The conference brought [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) participated in the CETT Tourism Policy Dialogue, held on 3 December 2025 at the Hotel Universitari Alimara in Barcelona; a one-day event focused on climate change and its impact on tourism. The dialogue brought together national and international experts for a program that included keynote presentations, case studies, [...]
