The GSTC Sustainable Hospitality Course was successfully delivered onsite in Malta in partnership with the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA). The course took place from 27 to 28 October 2025 and brought together 78 participants from across the tourism sector. Led by Ioannis Pappas, GSTC Trainer and Regional Director for Europe, focused on strengthening participants’ [...]
On August 25, TÜV Rheinland Greater China (GSTC-accredited Certification Body) signed an MOU with Accor Greater China to collaborate on the GSTC Certification* across Accor’s full portfolio of brands. This cooperation aims to accelerate Accor’s sustainability roadmap while setting a benchmark for the hotel industry’s sustainable transition. At the signing ceremony and certification presentation, [...]
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has released its 14th annual Sustainability Report, showcasing the Group’s ongoing efforts to integrate sustainable practices across its portfolio of luxury hotels and residences worldwide. The report outlined significant progress towards environmental and social targets, underscoring the Group’s commitment to responsible business operations. The report stated that the Group reduced [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) welcomes your feedback on the draft revisions of the GSTC Hotel Standard and GSTC Tour Operator Standard in this third round of public consultation, which is now open until July 3rd, 2025. The GSTC Standards (known previously as GSTC Criteria) serve as the global standards for sustainability in [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is pleased to introduce a tailored, co-branded online training course focused on sustainable hospitality, as part of its ongoing partnership with package holiday provider, easyJet holidays. This self-paced course is exclusively available to easyJet’ holidays’ hotel partners, providing a valuable opportunity to deepen their commitment to sustainability. Specifically [...]
Rosewood Hotel Group has joined as a member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). Rosewood Hotel Group is a leading global lifestyle and hospitality management group. It encompasses four brands: ultra-luxury Rosewood Hotels & Resorts; upper-upscale New World Hotels & Resorts; Asaya, an integrated well-being concept; and Carlyle & Co., a modern and [...]
The ‘March Lunch and Learn’ event, hosted by the Canmore Hotel & Lodging Association, focused on collaborative efforts to advance regenerative tourism in Canmore and Kananaskis. Located in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, the region is known for its natural landscapes and outdoor recreation opportunities. The event provided an opportunity for [...]
To encourage accommodation providers, including tourist hotels, regular hotels, and B&B providers, to enhance service quality, implement accessible and inclusive facilities, adopt sustainable environmental management systems, and offer smart service spaces, Taiwan Tourism Administration under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications has introduced the "Guidelines for Subsidies to Enhance the Quality of Accommodation Services". [...]
Pan Pacific Hotels Group (PPHG) has announced that all six of its Australian properties have gained accredited certification, after getting all their properties in Singapore also certified. These six properties are the first in the Oceania region to attain this global certification. PPHG is the wholly-owned hotel subsidiary of UOL Group Limited (UOL), one [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) participated in the 2024 China Hotel and Catering Industry Brand Development Conference, where its CEO, Randy Durband, delivered a keynote speech. The event, held on November 27 in Haikou, Hainan Province, China, served as a platform for industry leaders and policymakers to discuss innovation, sustainability, and brand excellence [...]
The Green Lodging Trends Report (GLTR) is the leading global benchmarking study on sustainability best practices in hotels conducted biennially. It benchmarks hotels from around the world to compare the prevalence of best practices. 20,000 hotels of all sizes and types across 50 countries participated in this year’s 2024 GLTR and benchmarked their performance [...]
In 2022, the Singapore Hotel Association (SHA) and GSTC Member Singapore Tourism Board (STB) announced the launch of its Hotel Sustainability Roadmap, which outlines hotels’ journey towards sustainability. Aligned with the Singapore Green Plan 2030, the roadmap outlines specific goals and strategies for hotels to integrate sustainability into their operations. This allows the industry [...]
Mandarin Oriental New York is the 1st hotel in North America to obtain GSTC Certification by UCSL United Certification Systems Limited, a GSTC-Accredited certification body. The GSTC Certification is based on the global standard for sustainable tourism, the GSTC Hotel Criteria. “We congratulate Mandarin Oriental New York on achieving accredited certification, the highest level [...]
The Hotel Es Port in Mallorca is the first hotel in Spain GSTC-Certified by Vireo, a GSTC-Accredited Certification Body. The GSTC Certification is based on the globally recognized standard for sustainable tourism, the GSTC Hotel Criteria. By achieving this certification, Hotel Es Port demonstrates its commitment to sustainable practices. The Global Sustainable Tourism Council [...]
NJV ATHENS PLAZA is the 1st City Hotel in Greece to obtain GSTC Certification by RoyalCert®, a GSTC-Accredited certification body. The GSTC Certification is based on the globally recognized standard for sustainable tourism, the GSTC Hotel Criteria. By achieving this certification, NJV ATHENS PLAZA demonstrates its commitment to protecting the environment, supporting the local [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council’s (GSTC) Hotel Sustainability Training for Industry Professionals, organized in partnership with Agoda and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), successfully concluded on May 31, 2024. This two-day training, held for the first time in Kathmandu, Nepal, aimed to equip hoteliers with the skills and knowledge necessary to implement [...]
14 experts shared their view "Will the next 50 years bring the Great Decoupling or the Great Collapse?" [1] All bets are on the former when economies thrive decoupled from greenhouse gas emission. Decoupling must equally occur between societal development and biocapacity. The hotel sector has developed many sustainability and ESG approaches to chart [...]
GSTC’s Roi Ariel shares how the increasing number of certification bodies is changing the meetings industry. An increasing number of certification bodies have entered the MICE industry to certify hotels as sustainable. These include Bureau Veritas, Vireo Srl and Control Union. The latter, for example, has more than 200 certification programmes. Such certification bodies [...]
The Hotel Yearbook 2024 Hospitality ESG Edition has been released and is available online for free. Along the same lines as previous editions of the Hotel Yearbook, the 2024 ESG Edition gathers the thoughts and research from a wide-ranging group of senior executives, analysts, consultants, and opinion leaders from all over the world. This [...]
The Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (SHA) Summit, took place on the 17th and 18th of October 2023, at the London Heathrow Marriott Hotel. The Summit, themed "Mainstreaming Net Positive Hospitality," aimed to foster dialogue and collaborative efforts among leading global organizations in the tourism and hospitality industry to advance sustainability practices. The event included leaders [...]
