GSTC Auditor Training in Ankara, Türkiye Date: November 10-12, 2025 Location: Ankara, Türkiye Venue: Divan Ankara, Yıldızevler, Jose Marti Cd. No:2 Çankaya 06550 Ankara, Türkiye Language: Turkish Scope: GSTC Industry Criteria for Hotel and Tour operator *GSTC Auditor Training involves 3-days training class followed by two tests. In the GSTC Auditor Training Class, the [...]
Join the official GSTC Sustainable Tourism Course in Tarvisio, Italy, in collaboration with Etifor, organized by the GSTC Italy Working Group. The training will be held on September 25th and 26th, 2025. The course is a great opportunity to get to know fellow colleagues and sustainability practitioners, enrich your understanding of Sustainable Tourism, and [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) participated in the Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) Quarterly Membership Meeting, held on Thursday, August 14, 2025, at the Dusit Thani Guam Resort and online for those unable to attend in person. Michelle Merfalen, Membership Committee Chair, did the opening remarks. The event provided updates to its members on [...]
- 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, [...]
On Friday, 29 August, tourism leaders, policymakers, and innovators gathered at The Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) Outlook 2025 Conference at Crown Sydney, Australia, under the theme “Global Shifts, Local Strengths.” The event served as a meeting point for influential voices shaping the future of the travel and tourism industry, focusing on how global [...]
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) signed a partnership agreement to deepen collaboration around sustainable tourism, strengthening the bridge between academic innovation and industry practice. CSUMB is a public university in the Monterey Bay region of California, committed to supporting innovation and sustainability in higher education through [...]
From August 17–19, 2025, the Educational Seminar for Tourism Organizations (ESTO), organized by the U.S. Travel Association, took place in Phoenix, Arizona. ESTO is a well-known gathering for U.S. destination marketing professionals in the United States that attracts leaders from across the country to share expertise and strengthen the promotion of tourism destinations. Each [...]
If you weren’t able to attend our Global Sustainable Tourism Conference in Fiji this year, missed out due to simultaneous sessions, or want to revisit your favorite conference sessions, recordings are now available on our YouTube channel. GSTC2025 Fiji brought together expert leaders from around the globe to share their insights and engage in [...]
The third GSTC Academic Symposium was held on Tuesday, August 5th, in Fiji as part of the GSTC2025 Global Conference. This one-day, in-person event marked its third edition (the previous one was held in Sweden in 2024) and brought together experts from research, academia, and the tourism sector to engage in deep, solution-oriented conversations [...]
GSTC has finalized the 2025 Board of Directors election. With votes validated by the GSTC Election Committee, we’re excited to share the official results and welcome the new directors who will help guide our mission in the year ahead. The GSTC Board of Directors plays an integral role in the leadership of the organization. [...]
Sustainable tourism in Italy continues to progress through the combined efforts of many actors, including the coordinated initiatives of the GSTC Italy Working Group (IWG). Established in 2022, the IWG brings together a diverse network of public and private organizations committed to advancing sustainability in the tourism sector. With strategic coordination and shared goals, [...]
Visit California has joined as a member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Visit California is a nonprofit organization with a mission to develop and maintain marketing programs – in partnership with the state’s travel industry – that inspire travel to, and within, California. The organization promotes California as a [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
