We invite tourism industry stakeholders to participate in the public consultation on the revision of the GSTC Accreditation Manual for Certification of Hotel/Accommodation & Tour Operator v.4.0, which will run for 100 days from December 29th, 2023 to April 6th, 2024.
About the GSTC Accreditation Manual for Certification of Hotel/Accommodation & Tour Operator:
The GSTC Accreditation Manual serves as a comprehensive guide for organizations seeking accreditation, ensuring adherence to promote sustainability in tourism practices. The Manual covers both the requirements of and accreditation processes to be implemented by GSTC, and for Certification Bodies, the certification processes they shall implement and the requirements and process for their accreditation.
Main revisions have been made to the following areas:
- Risk Factors: Risk factors and risk levels have been either replaced or clarified and the responsibility of Certification Bodies has been emphasized.
- Remote Audit: Based on risk assessment and previous audit results, we suggest wider usage of remote audit approaches.
- Auditor Qualification: We have improved the qualification requirements to ensure better qualified GSTC auditors.
[Note: Not all revised clauses are identified in the survey form. You are welcome to make comments on sections and clauses not identified. You can see all the changes from the document of revision trackers linked below.]
How to Participate in the Public Consultation:
1. Visit the GSTC Website to obtain information: Access the consultation materials, including the Draft of the Accreditation Manual for Certification of Hotel/Accommodation & Tour Operator 4.0 and the Revision Trackers.
2. Provide feedback via the online survey: Share your insights, suggestions, and or feedback through an online survey.
3. Timeline: The Public Consultation is open for 100 days from December 29th, 2023 to April 6th, 2024.
GSTC welcomes your feedback year-round. Contact us at accreditation@gstcouncil.org.
More information about Accreditation for Certification Bodies is here.
See here the GSTC List of Accredited Certification Bodies.
To learn about the difference between Certification, Accreditation, and Recognition click here.
