Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is an international body established to foster sustainable tourism practices through the development and management of global standards for sustainability in travel and tourism. It serves as a platform for dialogue, standard-setting, certification, and knowledge exchange among governments, businesses, non-governmental organisations, and communities involved in tourism.

Background and Establishment

The GSTC was founded in 2007 as a response to the growing need for a unified global framework to promote sustainable tourism. It was initiated through a coalition of organisations, including the United Nations Foundation, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), and leading travel industry stakeholders. Its creation followed increasing recognition that tourism, while a major driver of economic growth, can exert significant social, cultural, and environmental pressures if not managed responsibly.
The council operates as a non-profit organisation with a mission to expand understanding of sustainable tourism and to advance practices that safeguard natural resources, cultural heritage, and the well-being of local communities.

Core Functions

Development of Global Criteria

The GSTC is best known for its Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria, which serve as international standards for sustainable travel and tourism. These criteria are divided into two main sets:

• GSTC Criteria for Hotels and Tour Operators – focusing on environmental management, cultural heritage protection, support for local communities, and sustainable business practices.
• GSTC Criteria for Destinations – addressing destination-level governance, planning, community engagement, cultural preservation, and biodiversity conservation.

These criteria function as the foundation for certification schemes worldwide, helping ensure consistency and credibility in sustainability standards across the tourism sector.

Accreditation and Certification

The GSTC does not certify businesses or destinations directly. Instead, it accredits independent certification bodies that use the GSTC Criteria as benchmarks. Through this system, hotels, tour operators, and destinations can demonstrate compliance with globally recognised sustainability standards. Accreditation ensures transparency, credibility, and harmonisation across different regions.

Education and Capacity Building

The council also provides training programmes, workshops, and educational resources for tourism professionals, policy-makers, and community leaders. These initiatives aim to build capacity for integrating sustainability principles into tourism planning and operations.

Networking and Partnerships

The GSTC serves as a global convening body, bringing together stakeholders from the public and private sectors. It fosters partnerships between governments, corporations, NGOs, and academia, enabling the exchange of best practices and the scaling up of sustainable tourism initiatives worldwide.

Relevance in Global Tourism

Addressing Environmental Challenges

Tourism is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, resource depletion, and biodiversity loss. By promoting criteria such as energy efficiency, water management, and waste reduction, the GSTC supports efforts to reduce tourism’s ecological footprint.

Protecting Cultural and Social Assets

The GSTC framework emphasises safeguarding cultural heritage and ensuring community participation in tourism planning. This focus helps prevent over-commercialisation, promotes respect for local traditions, and supports inclusive economic development.

Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals

The council’s work directly aligns with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including responsible consumption and production, climate action, decent work and economic growth, and life on land and below water.

Advantages and Challenges

Advantages

• Provides a globally recognised framework that harmonises disparate sustainability standards.
• Enhances market credibility for certified businesses and destinations.
• Encourages community engagement and responsible cultural tourism.
• Promotes environmental conservation while supporting tourism-driven economic growth.

Challenges

• Adoption remains uneven across regions, with developing countries often facing capacity and resource limitations.
• Certification costs can be prohibitive for smaller enterprises.
• Enforcement depends on the strength of local institutions and regulatory frameworks.
• Balancing economic growth with ecological and cultural preservation remains a complex task.

Significance

The GSTC plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of global tourism by offering a structured and credible system for ensuring sustainability. By fostering alignment among governments, businesses, and civil society, it helps create a more responsible tourism industry that can generate economic benefits while safeguarding the planet and its cultural diversity.
As tourism continues to recover and expand in the post-pandemic era, the GSTC’s role in guiding responsible practices is expected to become increasingly influential in ensuring long-term sustainability of the sector.