Lao workshop January 2017 11 850

January 2017, Vientiane, Lao PDR – The GSTC has successfully conducted a sustainable tourism training class in Vientiane, Lao PDR (January, 11-13, 2017), organized in partnership with and with the support of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism (MICT) of Lao PDR and GIZ (German Corporation for International Cooperation).

The training class was attended by MICT officials and destination representatives from 17 provinces, researchers and educators, and tourism and development experts from international organizations including GIZ, Swisscontact and the Asian Development Bank.

The GSTC Trainer and sustainable tourism standards expert Dr. Mihee Kang led the training as the lead trainer, and Randy Durband, GSTC CEO, and the international tourism development expert Peter Semone (Chairman, PATA Foundation and Managing Partner, Destination Human Capital) have contributed to the class as co-trainers and expert presenters.

As a result of this training and the GSTC’s continued partnership with participating organizations, plans for further work supporting the sustainable development of destinations (both at the municipality and regional levels) in Lao PRD and in southeast Asia are underway. These initiatives will be a key part of the GSTC’s ongoing engagement in various destinations across Asia in 2017 and beyond.

Lao workshop January 2017 8 850

GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training Program

The GSTC works with destination partners and industry organizations to deliver tailored training options, including training in the local language by a GSTC-approved trainer, and designing a shorter introductory program or a longer, more extensive program targeting sustainable tourism practitioners. If you would like to partner with the GSTC to organize a training in your destination, or work with our team to deliver a tailored training for your organization, please contact us (training [at] gstcouncil.org) to discuss further details.