GSTC in India
Sometimes referred to as ecotourism in India, sustainable tourism is becoming more and more important. According to research conducted by Booking.com in 2020, 96% of Indian travelers identified sustainable travel as important to them, while 76% said they were more determined to make sustainable choices when looking to travel again in the future. Furthermore, witnessing the impact that tourism has on the environment while on vacation has resulted in 73% of travelers making more eco-friendly choices in their everyday life.
However, while these findings are promising, obstacles still exist. 39% of Indian travelers do not know how or where to find sustainable travel options and 54% think there aren’t enough sustainable travel options available. Therefore, clarity on sustainable tourism companies in India is needed.
The GSTC Criteria is already being used in India and has been gaining more momentum recently.
GSTC India Working Group
As the name suggests, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is truly global. As such, we have a dedicated Director and a Working Group focused on India:
- CB Ramkumar, GSTC Board Member & South Asia Director
- Aditi Chanchani, Tourism Researcher and Consultant
- Rajesh Nambiar, CEO and Chief Consultant, Provork
- Freeda Maria, Founder and Head, Dharthi
You can contact us at india@gstcouncil.org
Internship with the GSTC India Working Group
The GSTC India Working Group is now accepting interns/volunteers. If interested, and you have the skills and passion, fill in this form.
Recent Sustainable Tourism India News
MakeMyTrip Joins GSTC
MakeMyTrip has joined as a Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) member. New Delhi, June 24, 2022— MakeMyTrip, India's leading online travel company, today announced [...]
Contrasting Tourism Landscapes in Karnataka, India
Destination Stewardship Report – Autumn 2021 (Volume 2, Issue 2) This post is from the Destination Stewardship Report (Autumn 2021, Volume 2, Issue 2), [...]
A Himalayan Village Takes Charge of Its Future
Destination Stewardship Report – Autumn 2021 (Volume 2, Issue 2)This post is from the Destination Stewardship Report (Autumn 2021, Volume 2, Issue 2), an e-quarterly [...]
GSTC Webinar Recording: Unpacking Sustainable Tourism in India through the lens of the GSTC Criteria
To mark the launch of the GSTC India Working Group, the GSTC held a public webinar on November 10th 2021 titled "Unpacking Sustainable Tourism [...]
Ecotourism in India: Sustainability, Accreditations and SDGs
Sustainability, Accreditations, Ecotourism and SDGs – the GSTC way, in India A research paper on Ecotourism in India, by Freeda Maria Swarna (member of [...]