The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) establishes and manages global sustainable standards, known as the GSTC Criteria. There are two sets: Destination Criteria for public policy- makers and destination managers, and Industry Criteria for hotels and tour operators. These are the guiding principles and minimum requirements that any tourism business or destination should aspire to reach in order to protect and sustain the world’s natural and cultural resources, while ensuring tourism meets its potential as a tool for conservation and poverty alleviation. The GSTC Criteria form the foundation for GSTC’s role in providing assurance for impartiality and competence of Certification Programs that certify hotels/accommodations, tour operators, and destinations as having sustainable policies and practices in place. GSTC does not directly certify any products or services; but it provides assurance for those that do. The GSTC is an independent and neutral organization, legally registered in the USA as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that represents adiverse and global membership, including leading travel companies, hotels, tour operators, NGO’s, national and provincial governments, individuals and communities – all striving to achieve best practices in sustainable tourism.
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council’s (GSTC) criteria are an effort to come to a common understanding of sustainable tourism and are the minimum that any tourism business should aspire to reach.
They are organized around four main themes:- demonstrate effective sustainable management;
- maximize social and economic benefits to the local community and minimize negative impacts;
- maximize benefits to cultural heritage and minimize negative impacts;
- maximize benefits to the environment and minimize negative impacts
- Compliance with the highest social and environmental standards.
- Increased access to consumers seeking sustainable tourism.
- Preferred choice for websites and agencies offering sustainable tourism.
- Inclusion on the websites of Bookdifferent (supported by Booking.com) and the GSTC.
- Positive impact on surroundings.
- Use of the GSTC logo.
- Improved image.
We provide certification against the GSTC Industry Criteria for Hotels & Tour Operators for individual enterprises and groups of hotels or tour operators.
For more information please info@ppmcertification.com