News & Announcements

Member Survey

13 May 2013

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council is currently in a new phase of growth. With a new CEO, Mauro Marrocu, and new offices at the UNWTO headquarters in Madrid, we’re looking ahead to an exciting future. The activities of the GSTC board and staff must focus on the needs of our members. The purpose of this survey is to identify members’ priorities so as to direct the GSTC’s programme of work for 2013/14. The feedback of CURRENT AND PAST MEMBERS is vital to shaping a better GSTC.

We would appreciate your taking the time to complete the following survey. It should take about five minutes of your time. The survey runs until 31 May 2013.

We value your membership and feedback. Let your voice be heard!.

Mauro Marrocu (CEO)

Click here to complete the survey

Open letter to the Members of the GSTC from the CEO, Mauro Marrocu

29 April 2013

My first 50 days at the GSTC: lots of passion, enthusiasm, and a bright future!

Dear Members of the GSTC,

It is my pleasure and honor to write this letter to You, to introduce myself to You, and highlight the bright future that awaits Your Council in the years to come, thanks to Your continued and ever increasing support!

In the first place, I want to apologize to you because my background does not come from Sustainability. But the GSTC does have in its ranks at all levels the most formidable Think Tank on Sustainable Tourism that any Non-Profit or Non-Governmental Organization can present to the Industry in our days, on a global level.

Global Sustainable Tourism Council Signs Landmark Memorandum of Understanding with Pacific Asia Travel Association

26 April 2013

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 26, 2013) - The Global Sustainable Tourism Council(GSTC) is pleased to announce a partnership as undersigned in a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Pacific Asia Travel Association(PATA), a not-for-profit trade membership association headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand. PATA Chief Executive Officer Martin Craigs and GSTC Board Member Guy Chester signed the MoU on April 26 during the PATA Annual Summit in Bangkok.

TourCert Achieves ‘Recognized’ Global Sustainable Tourism Council Status for its Tour Operator Standard

08 April 2013

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) recently announced TourCert Standard for Tour Operators has achieved ‘recognized’ certification status. The awarded status benchmarks its commitment to promote sustainable tourism products and services recognized by the GSTC.

“We commend TourCert, a non-profit organization for tourism certification, on its commitment to providing tourists with valuable information about sustainable tourism opportunities,” Mauro Marrocu, GSTC’s chief executive officer said.

TourCert has committed to using the GSTC Criteria – the first and only global framework for defining a sustainable travel benchmark – as the reference for its sustainable travel criteria. Rigorous review and authorization procedures have determined that TourCert’s Standard for Tour Operators is considered equivalent to the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria; the worldwide minimum requirement for tourism businesses of all size to approach sustainability.

Chile and Peru Pilot New Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria for Destinations

26 March 2013

South America Takes Center Stage, Other Destinations to be Announced Soon

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 26, 2013) - The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) has selected the Cusco-Sacred Valley-Machu Picchu corridor in Peru, and the shores of Lake Llanquihue, Puerto Varas, and Frutillar in the Lakes Region of Chile for the second round of its pilot program to test its new Criteria and Indicators for Destinations. These new Early Adopters are the first South American destinations to participate.

Overseen by GSTC’s Destination Working Group and managed by NGO partner Sustainable Travel International, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council’s Criteria for Destinations are designed to orient destination managers, communities, and businesses toward the steps that are needed to sustain their natural and cultural assets, while benefitting local communities. The Destination Criteria complement the existing GSTC Criteria for Hotels and Tour Operators, which have become the worldwide sustainability standard for tourism businesses.