The three-day intensive and interactive training program was held in Cape Town, South Africa, April 1-3, 2016.  The training was led by Anna Spenceley, and covered global trends in sustainable tourism, sustainability best practices and the GSTC Criteria, with the aim of strengthening awareness of sustainable tourism through practical insights and achievable steps.

What: 3-Day Sustainable Tourism Training by the GSTC
When: April 1st-3rd, 2016
Where: Townhouse Hotel, Cape Town, South Africa

Sustainable Tourism Training for Hotels, Tour Operators and Destinations

The three-day intensive sustainable tourism training program covered global trends in sustainable tourism, sustainability best practices and the GSTC Criteria, with the aim of strengthening awareness of sustainable tourism through practical insights and achievable steps. In addition, the training also offered a unique opportunity to gain hands-on knowledge of sustainability practices in action by the Fair Trade Tourism certified Townhouse Hotel, which was the venue of the training class.

Key Training Program Highlights

  • Knowledge and expertise representing the GSTC as the global authority on quality sustainable tourism standards.
  • Stimulating and rewarding learning experience, being part of an interactive training with fellow participants representing a variety of public, private, academic and non-profit entities.
  • Practical insights on promoting sustainable and responsible travel experiences through case studies and best practice examples.

GSTC Trainer: Anna Spenceley, Tourism Training and Sustainability Standards Expert

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Dr. Anna Spenceley is an independent consultant based in South Africa. She works on sustainable tourism issues for a wide range of international agencies, including the World Bank group, the International Trade Centre, UNWTO, UNEP, UNDP and SNV. Anna’s work includes participatory policy and master plan development, triple bottom line assessments (economic, social, and environmental), tourism certification and indicators, market research, value chain analyses and also training.

Anna is Chair of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) Tourism and Protected Areas Specialist Group (TAPAS Group), and leads capacity building for the Southern African Development Community’s (SADC) Sustainable Tourism Forum. Anna is on the editorial boards of the International Journal for Sustainable Tourism and Koedoe. Her book publications include “Tourism and Poverty Reduction”, “Responsible Tourism: Critical issues for Conservation and Development” and “Evolution and Innovation in Wildlife Conservation. Anna was a founding board member of the GSTC, and currently sits on the GSTC Destination Working Group and acts as GSTC trainer.