On March 11-12 in Hannover Germany, Amos Bien held a GSTC technical workshop about GSTC criteria and the GSTC recognition, approval and accreditation processes. It was attended by representatives from a number of European certification standards interested in learning more about GSTC, and it served to facilitate lively and fruitful discussion between these standards and certifications which have already obtained GSTC recognition, plus other stakeholders such as tour operators and trade associations. Participants found it extremely helpful to talk to each other, peer-to-peer. Not only did they learn much from each other, but also established direct contact with each other for the first time.

GSTC technical workshopLeft to right, front to back

Front Row:
Elisa Strecke, Kuoni
Monica Herrera-Pavia, European Sustainable Tourism Charter
Mila Dahle, TUI AG
Herbert Hamele, Ecotrans
Dr Chirapol Sintunawa, Green Leaf Foundation
Mike Pugh, UK Areas for Outstanding Natural Beauty

2nd Row:
Luigi Cabrini, UN World Tourist Organisation
Jane Ashton, TUI Travel PLC
Mary Mulvey, Ecotourism Ireland
Paulo Castro, EUROPARC Federation

3rd Row:
Andreas Vermoehlen, TUI AG
Mauro Marrocu, GSTC
Robert Dilger, GIZ
Florian Toegel, TourCert
Peter Zimmer, Green Globe

4th Row:
Otto Fichtl, Austrian Ecolabel
Andrei Blumer, Association of Ecotourism in Romania
Dr Harald Zeiss, Inatour representing TUI Germany
Stefanie Boomsma, TUI Netherland
Mike Brauner, TUI AG

5th Row:
Nicholas Dubrocard, Green Key
John Magri, Eco Certification Malta
Amos Bien, GSTC
Stephan Busch, Travelbridge

Attendees who didn’t make the photo but did make the event were:
Kathrin Spiller, ibes fairstay
Soren Stoeber, Travelife
Erika Harms, Global Solutions