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, [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC ) and Content With Purpose (CWP) collaborate to create landmark new digital travel series on sustainable tourism. The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is proud to launch its first global digital series, Travel Redefined: Tourism for People and Planet, in partnership with Content With Purpose (CWP) the strategic [...]
The fifth annual Destination Stewardship Yearbook is a compilation of articles from the 2024–2025 Destination Stewardship Report (DSR), co-produced by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), Center for Responsible Travel (CREST), and Destination Stewardship Center (DSC). Each edition of the DSR highlights destinations that exemplify comprehensive and effective management, showcase leading practices in sustainable [...]
The GSTC2025 Global Sustainable Tourism Conference took place from 5 to 8 August at the Sheraton in Denarau, Fiji. The event brought together tourism professionals, destination representatives, academics, and sustainability experts from around the world to discuss key challenges and solutions in advancing sustainable tourism practices. Set against the backdrop of one of the [...]
We invite tourism stakeholders and certification bodies to participate in the public consultation on the new accreditation requirements for certification bodies, which aim to demonstrate their ability to provide reliable and trustworthy certification services to the MICE (Venues, Event Organizers, and Events/Exhibitions) and/or Attraction sectors. The public consultation will run for 100 days from [...]
The GSTC Sustainable Tourism Online Course, conducted in Bahasa Indonesia and by GSTC Training Partner Wise Steps Consulting (WSC) from June 30 to July 25, 2025, brought together professionals from across the tourism sector to strengthen their understanding and implementation of sustainability principles in line with the GSTC Standards. The course was led by [...]
Dr. Mihee Kang, GSTC’s Chief Assurance Officer, participated in the APEC Workshop on Land Use Planning for Sustainable Tourism, held on July 26–27, 2025, at the Songdo Convention Center in Incheon, Republic of Korea. The workshop was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism of Peru within the framework of the Third [...]
City Destinations Alliance has released a white paper titled “The Score is Not the Story”, offering a comprehensive reflection on the role of sustainability indexes and certifications in urban tourism management. The publication provides insights into how cities across Europe are using these tools to advance their sustainability agendas, foster collaboration, and align with [...]
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 [...]
Randy Durband, GSTC CEO, was recently interviewed by Nikos Diamantopoulos, General Manager of Marketing Greece, to share insights on the role of sustainability standards in shaping the future of tourism. During the conversation, Mr. Durband described how the GSTC Standards are developed through an incredibly inclusive process (previously known as GSTC Criteria), serving as [...]
GSTC Member, Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA) issued the “Petra Five Promises” guideline in early 2025, following public consultations conducted in December 2024 across six Petra communities. Developed under the Petra Tourism Development Master Plan 2023–2033, which was prepared in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and launched in November [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) launched the GSTC Attraction Standard in November 2024. GSTC designed the Early Adopter Program to facilitate the practical implementation of the GSTC Attraction Standard. The two-year program focuses on exploring mechanisms and resources for implementing the standard, rather than showcasing results. Its goal is to share best practices [...]
The world is now only five years away from 2030, a critical milestone for delivering on the goals of the Paris Agreement, the Global Biodiversity Framework, and the Sustainable Development Agenda. The time available to implement meaningful action is becoming critically short, with the consequences of a changing climate increasingly visible – from rising [...]
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, [...]
Key stakeholders from South Korea’s MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) industry convened at the Sustainable MICE Management Forum in Seoul on July 4 to explore challenges and opportunities in transitioning toward more sustainable practices. The forum brought together thought leaders and innovators to discuss how the MICE sector can align with global sustainability [...]
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 [...]
In July 2025, the World Economic Forum (WEF) released the insight report “Travel and Tourism at a Turning Point: Principles for Transformative Growth”, developed in collaboration with Kearney. The report, to which GSTC CEO Randy Durband contributed, provides an in-depth analysis of the travel and tourism sector at a critical juncture in its evolution, [...]
The GSTC Sustainable Tourism Course held in Innsbruck, Austria, came to a close on July 10, 2025, after two days of in-depth learning and exchange. Hosted at Wirtschaftskammer Tirol, the program took place from July 9 to July 10, 2025, bringing together a group of 15 participants committed to learning about [...]
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 [...]
In August 2024, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), in partnership with the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), announced its plans to expand the GSTC Standards, the global standards for sustainable tourism, by developing a new set specifically for tourism-related food service providers. This forthcoming set, with an official name to be determined, [...]
