GSTC Training Partner: PlayForest Cooperative

The PlayForest Cooperative is a cooperative of sustainable travel businesses designed to benefit local communities and local activists dedicated to the conservation of their forests and to provide genuine community-based natural tourism experiences to the visitors.

While PlayForest works as a tour operator to develop tours, the cooperative focuses on promoting local tours managed by local communities or local organizations, as a way to support local communities dedicated to sustainable tourism development but have difficulties to access tourists market due to lack of skills, finance or technology.

Playforest is a Training Partner for the GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training Program (STTP).

Upcoming STTP Training, Seoul, South Korea

Through our partnership with PlayForest, we are pleased to announce the following training class, open to anyone interested in learning more about sustainable tourism best practices for tourism destinations and businesses.

What: 2-day sustainable tourism training by the GSTC trainers in Korea
When: June 30 – July 1, 2018
Where: 3F, Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism (Templestay Center), 56, Ujeongguk-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea (3F)
Language: English
Trainers: Dr. Mihee Kang, Ms. Catherine Germier-Hamel
Fees: Regular – KW220,000 VAT included (Discount available for GSTC member and group of minimum 5)
Registration: Fill out this registration form
Contact: Dr. Mihee Kang (mihee [at] gstcouncil.org)

By completing this training class of the STTP, you will have access to the official STTP Exam (Please note that the exam registration fee, US$ 75 per person, is NOT included in the above training class registration fee. Taking the exam after the training is optional) and have the opportunity to achieve the GSTC Certificate in Sustainable Tourism.

GSTC Trainer: Dr. Mihee Kang

Dr. Mihee Kang is Co-Founder of PlayForest, and the Program Director for Asia-Pacific, GSTC.

Dr. Kang is a research professor at Seoul National University, researching topics related to protected areas management and sustainable tourism. She received her Ph.D. degree at Seoul National University in 1999 and actively participated in numerous ecotourism and protected area projects in Korea and abroad such as Australia, Paraguay, China, Indonesia, Vietnam, etc. She has published many articles and books including the first ecotourism book in Korea and the recent one about ecotourism in ASEAN Countries.

She serves a number of key positions in both domestic and international organizations such as Ecotourism Korea, Korean Ecotourism Consulting Committee, Korean Geoparks Committee, Korean UNESCO MAB Committee, and Asian Ecotourism Network.

 

GSTC Trainer: Catherine Germier-Hamel

Originally from France, Ms Catherine Germier-Hamel is the Founder & CEO of Seoul-based business consulting firm Millennium Destinations. She also serves as Global Senior Consultant specialized in smart & sustainable travel, tourism, hospitality, F&B and MICE. For over 25 years, Catherine has gained international experience in marketing, communications, business development, event planning, project design, management, and coordination, as well as capacity-building and training.

Catherine holds a Masters’ degree in Management and Business Administration (1992) and a post degree in Sustainable Tourism Development (2004). In 2005, she started a new life in South Korea where, among many different adventures, she has served as F&B Marketing Manager at a Novotel hotel and Director of Global Programs and Sustainable Tourism Consultant at the ST-EP (Sustainable Tourism for Eliminating Poverty) Foundation, before establishing Millennium Destinations.

Catherine has been actively involved in several local and global companies, non-profit organizations and initiatives committed to the promotion and achievement of sustainable consumption & production patterns, poverty alleviation, social inclusiveness, environmental protection, and responsible governance.