The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and digital travel platform Agoda organized a sustainability training for hospitality industry professionals from the 29th to the 30th of September at the Toranomon Hills Forum in Tokyo, Japan. The program brought together local hoteliers for a series of sessions led by industry experts, aiming to provide them [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is developing and will launch a tailored Pre-Training Course on Sustainable Tourism for RNT HOTELS Co., Ltd, a Japanese hotel group operating more than 40 hotels throughout Japan under the Richmond Hotels and THE BASEMENT brands. This customized sustainability training is part of a broader multi-year training program [...]
- The GSTC Japan Members Meeting and Workshop, hosted by Sapporo City and JaSCA (Japan Sustainability Coordinator Association), successfully concluded on 24 September 2025, gathering more than 45 participants on-site and 50 joining online. The event took place at Akarenga (the former Hokkaido Government Office) in Sapporo, an iconic Western-style building originally built in [...]
The GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training, sponsored by the Setouchi Tourism Authority, was completed, bringing together members of the organization for an engaging and insightful learning experience from September 17 to 19, 2025, in Okayama, Japan. The training, conducted by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), provided the Setouchi Tourism Authority team with a comprehensive [...]
- 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, [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is developing a tailored Pre-Training Course on Sustainable Tourism for JTB Corp, designed to support and provide knowledge and practical tools, serving as a new step in strengthening JTB’s commitment to more responsible and sustainable tourism practices. Conducted in Japanese with an English version available for overseas staff, [...]
Ascott hosted the workshop “Shaping Sustainable Tourism, Together” on July 17, 2025, at lyf Ginza Tokyo, the first hotel in Japan to receive GSTC certification by Vireo, a GSTC-accredited certification body. The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) participated in this day event, which brought together future leaders in the travel and hospitality industries to [...]
In 2022, GSTC Member Tricolage obtained the GSTC Tour Operator Certification from Control Union, a GSTC-accredited Certification Body. This achievement made Tricolage the first tour operator in Japan to receive the GSTC Tour Operator Certification. Tricolage says it approaches sustainability not as a passing trend but as a core responsibility to travelers, local communities, [...]
The GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training was conducted as part of an agreement between JTB and the Kyoto Branch of the Ryokan Hotel Federation in Kyoto, Japan, from July 7 to 9, 2025. GSTC Trainer Kazuhiro Arai, CEO of Daisetsuzan Experience, shared his knowledge and expertise along with Naomi Oiwa, GSTC’s Japan [...]
The GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training, sponsored by the Organization for the Promotion of Tourism in Shikoku, was held in Marugame City, Kagawa, Japan, from July 3 to 5, 2025. Participants were mainly representatives from DMOs and tourism associations across Shikoku Island, bringing together a diverse group of professionals committed to advancing sustainable tourism practices [...]
The GSTC MICE Standard for venues, event organizers, and events & exhibitions have now been translated into Japanese with the support of the Japan Tourism Agency (JTA). It is available to download in the Standards Translations section here. 会場、イベント主催者、イベントおよび展示会向けのGSTC MICEスタンダードが、日本観光庁（JTA）の支援を受けて日本語に翻訳されました。日本語版は「スタンダードの翻訳」セクションからダウンロードできます。
Destination Stewardship Report – Volume 5, Issue 3 This post is from the Destination Stewardship Report, a publication that provides practical information and insights useful to anyone whose work or interests involve improving destination stewardship in a post-pandemic world. Thanks to a new city system, community members work together [...]
The GSTC Sustainable Tourism Course, sponsored by Kobe University, was held with the participation of local and external tourism stakeholders and students from the Graduate School of Intercultural Studies at Kobe University. The course took place from March 18th to 20th, 2025, in Kannabe Kougen, located in Toyooka City, Hyogo, a region [...]
The GSTC Sustainable Tourism Course, sponsored by Towada Travel for both its employees and local business operators, was held from March 20 to 22, 2025, in Towada, Aomori, Japan. Led by GSTC Trainer Kazuhiro Arai, Representative of Daisetsuzan Nature School, the training provided participants with a comprehensive understanding of the GSTC Standards and sustainable [...]
Okinawa Prefecture sponsored the GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training for their employees in Naha, Okinawa, Japan. The training was held from the 22nd to the 24th of February, 2025. It was led by GSTC Trainer Kazuhiro Arai, Representative of Daisetsuzan Nature School, who shared his expertise with practical examples and valuable insights. [...]
The GSTC Sustainable Tourism Course was sponsored by JTB Corp for its employees who came from Hokkaido, Tokyo, Kansai, and Fukuoka. It was held in Tokyo, Japan, from the 19th to the 21st of February, 2025. A total of 20 participants attended the training, and GSTC Trainer Kazuhiro Arai, Representative of Daisetsuzan Nature School, [...]
The GSTC Sustainable Tourism Course, sponsored by the Nasu Tourism Association for its employees, concluded successfully. It was held in Nasu-machi, Japan, from the 10th to the 11th of February 2025. A total of 24 participants attended the training, and GSTC Trainer Kazuhiro Arai, Representative of Daisetsuzan Nature School, led the course. The two-day [...]
The Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) who joined GSTC as a Destination Member in 2020, sponsored three GSTC Sustainable Tourism Trainings in different locations for destination representatives and tourism industry stakeholders in Japan. The GSTC Trainings in Japan were held in the following destinations: 1. Tsuruoka Yamagata, from the 14th to the 16th of December, [...]
The GSTC Sustainable Tourism Course, sponsored by Himeji City for its employees concluded successfully. It was held in Himeji City, Japan, from the 3rd to the 5th of February 2025. A total of 16 participants attended the training, and GSTC Trainer Kazuhiro Arai, Representative of Daisetsuzan Nature School, led the [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) held a workshop for its Japan members in Tokyo on February 6th, 2025. The event, organized in collaboration with Rakuten Travel, took place at the Rakuten Crimson House Headquarters. The workshop provided a platform for GSTC Japan Members to engage in interactive sessions, discussions, and presentations focusing on [...]
