GSTC at the 13th International Resort Tourism Congress in Antalya - GSTC Chair Luigi Cabrini

The 13th International Resort Tourism Congress took place on the 24th of November in Antalya, Türkiye.

Luigi Cabrini, GSTC Chair, presented ”Sustainability, the future of tourism” where he spoke about the importance of sustainable tourism practices, the GSTC Criteria (the global standards for sustainable travel and tourism), and Türkiye’s groundbreaking national sustainability program.

Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) with guidance from the GSTC, and the cooperation of the Cappadocia University, has developed the first mandatory national program for accommodations based on the GSTC Criteria and GSTC Assurance program. From 2022 through 2030, all accommodations in Türkiye must be certified through a GSTC-Accredited Certification Body.

Türkiye's mandatory national program for accommodations

 [Image 1: Stages of Türkiye’s Program as of 23 November 2023]

“The congress was a great opportunity to address resort owners and managers in Türkiye, who are the main actors of this programme. I expressed my congratulations to TGA and to the Türkiye accommodation sector for the excellent results already achieved,” said Luigi Cabrini, GSTC Chair.

The event had an insightful opening speech delivered by Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye, where he underscored the importance of sustainable and innovative practices in the resort tourism.

The congress gathered industry leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders from the Turkiye tourism sector.