Plan to write about GSTC? Here’s all you need to know
The GSTC in 2 sentences
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is managing the GSTC Criteria, the global baseline standards for sustainable travel and tourism; as well as acting as an international body providing assurance for sustainable tourism certification in three key subsectors of tourism: hotels/accommodations, tour operators/agencies, and destinations.
The GSTC in 3 paragraphs
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) establishes and manages global sustainable standards, known as the GSTC Criteria. There are two sets: Destination Criteria for public policy-makers and destination managers, and Industry Criteria for hotels and tour operators. These are the guiding principles and minimum requirements that any tourism business or destination should aspire to reach in order to protect and sustain the world’s natural and cultural resources, while ensuring tourism meets its potential as a tool for conservation and poverty alleviation.
The GSTC Criteria form the foundation for GSTC’s role in providing assurance for impartiality and competence of Certification Programs that certify hotels/accommodations, tour operators, and destinations as having sustainable policies and practices in place. GSTC does not directly certify any products or services; but it provides assurance for those that do.
The GSTC is an independent and neutral organization, legally registered in the USA as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that represents a diverse and global membership, including national and provincial governments, leading travel companies, hotels, tour operators, NGO’s, individuals and communities – all striving to achieve best practices in sustainable tourism.
What is the difference between Certification and Accreditation?
GSTC does NOT certify businesses and destinations, but is deeply involved certification of sustainable tourism by promoting certification and providing an assurance that select Certification Bodies operate with impartiality and competence.
Certification is defined as a voluntary, third-party assessment, through an audit, of a tourism enterprise or destination for conformity to a standard. GSTC does NOT conduct certification. That is the job of the many Certification Bodies throughout the world; our job is to accredit those that certify. [e.g. Certification Body, Certification Scheme, Certified Hotel]
Accreditation is a mark of quality that GSTC places on Certification Bodies that choose our independent and neutral process to verify that they certify businesses, such as hotels or tour operators, or destinations, in a competent and neutral manner. We at GSTC look very hard at their process of certification to ensure you that they issue certifications based on merit and neutrality. [e.g. GSTC Accredited Certification Body]
NOTE: These are not merely GSTC’s definitions. The globally recognized ISO system of international standards provide clear definitions of certification and accreditation. GSTC adheres to ISO’s definitions and terminology. The media is highly encouraged to reduce the massive confusion currently seen in society and the media by using these terms correctly.
Recent GSTC press releases
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GSTC in the Media
Why local communities are important to the future of Japan’s ailing tourism industry (The Japan Times)
The pandemic has accelerated these trends. Prior to 2020, the government had already poured trillions of yen into promoting lesser-visited parts of Japan as [...]
COVID-19 put a halt to over-tourism. Can we plan a sustainable reset? (The Globe and Mail)
Because so many organizations and destinations are coming at this from different starting points, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council - GSTC has established a baseline [...]
New Calm Created by Coronavirus Offers Southeast Asia Chance to Redo Sustainable Tourism (Skift)
“The coronavirus crisis definitely gives Southeast Asia a chance, but will governments and businesses take it?” GSTC General Manager Roi Ariel questioned. But Ariel is [...]
7 Ways Travel MUST Change After Coronavirus (Fodor’s Travel)
A big part of resetting the tourism industry, says Randy Durband, CEO of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, is the improvement of public policy [...]
How Travel Has Evolved in the 50 Years Since the First Earth Day (Condé Nast)
"Going green has become a point of industry pride. Hotels not only covet Global Sustainable Tourism Council and LEED certifications; they’re also establishing important sustainable [...]
What Travel Companies Will Need to Know About Consumer Mindset Post-Crisis (Skift)
"A new world order for travel lies ahead. How quickly travelers adapt, and more importantly how quickly travel companies adapt to the changing behaviors, [...]
Recent GSTC news
GSTC at ITB Berlin NOW (9-12 March 2021)
We couldn't meet at ITB Berlin in 2020, but we can in 2021, as ITB Berlin will take place online! If you are attending ITB [...]
Valencia Joins GSTC
Visit València has joined the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) as a destination member. VISIT VALÈNCIA is a non-profit Foundation with the participation of [...]
New Zealand Joins GSTC
Qualmark on behalf of Tourism New Zealand has joined the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) as a destination member Tourism New Zealand is the [...]
EU Tourism Manifesto Recommends GSTC
Accelerate Social and Economic Recovery by Investing in Sustainable Tourism Development: Using the GSTC Criteria The European Tourism Manifesto, in the latest paper, is proposing [...]
GSTC Assurance Panel’s 10-Year Anniversary
On February 7th, 2011, the first meeting of the GSTC Assurance Panel (back then called Accreditation Panel) took place virtually. “During the past 10 [...]
Destination Stewardship Report – Winter 2021 (Volume 1, Issue 3)
Destination Stewardship Report Winter 2021 January-March (Volume 1, Issue 3) The Destination Stewardship Report is an e-quarterly collaboration between the Destination Stewardship Center and Global [...]
Athens Joins GSTC
Athens Development and Destination Management Agency has joined the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) as a destination member. Athens Development and Destination Management Agency [...]
Utah Office of Tourism Joins GSTC
The Utah Office of Tourism has joined the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) as a destination member. The mission of the Utah Office of [...]