global sustainable tourism council certification

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Certified Sustainable Destinations

Travelers and tourism professionals want to know where sustainable tourist destinations are. Such destinations are sometimes referred to as eco-destinations (or eco tourist destinations), although the environment is only one aspect of sustainable tourism according to the GSTC Criteria .

The map below features destinations which have been certified as sustainable tourist destinations by a GSTC-Accredited Certification Body .

The management teams at these destinations understand that “sustainability” is a journey and that work to implement the GSTC Criteria is never complete. Sustainable destination management requires continuing commitment and ongoing collaboration among wide-ranging stakeholders in everyday decision-making. However, these destinations have traveled a long way down the path of sustainability. They are to be commended, and they should be promoted as destinations worthy of travelers’ support.

Destination managers interested in certifying their destination should contact one of the following certification bodies that are GSTC Accredited for destinations .

GSTC-Accredited Certification Bodies for Destinations

To be certified by EarthCheck, visit this link to Get Certified by EarthCheck .

Green Destinations

Green Destinations (GD) is a non-profit organisation of experts and destination ambassadors working in 80 countries. GD supports a large community of local, regional and country destination managers and stakeholders, enhancing destination sustainability, market visibility, and tourism quality. The GD Certification Committee supervises certification and benchmark awards (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum) based upon the GSTC- Recognized GD Standard, and other (e.g. national) standards. GD offers destinations and countries with state-of-the-art tools for baseline assessment, monitoring, reporting and strategic development, also in relation to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

To be certified by Green Destinations, visit this link to Get Certified by Green Destinations .

To be certified by Vireo Srl, contact them directly at [email protected] or visit this link to Get Certified by Vireo Srl .

Behind the scenes of sustainable hotel certification with GSTC

Environmental sustainability presents a multifaceted challenge for the hotel industry.

Hotels must combat carbon emissions from energy usage and transport, reduce food and water waste, and sustain the natural land they operate on.

As the international accreditation body for sustainable tourism, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) manages the standards hotels must meet if they are to gain this crucial certification, known as the GSTC Criteria.

Aside from being a basis for certification, the Criteria are used for education and awareness-raising, policy-making for businesses, government agencies, and other organisation types, measurement and evaluation.

By adopting the criteria, hotels can enhance their operational efficiency, reduce their environmental footprint, and improve guest experiences and community relations while operating in a responsible and sustainable manner.

GSTC Members such as Booking.com and WebBeds have already developed guidance to hotels on sustainability based on the GSTC Criteria, achieved by hotel groups such as Barceló .

But significant barriers are slowing down the vision of an entirely sustainable global hotel industry. Hotel Management Network speaks to GSTC CEO Randy Durband to gain insight into what faces the hotel industry’s adoption of sustainability standards.

Hotels must intensify sustainable commitments

Durband states that hotels must “rigorously adopt and implement global sustainability standards.”

This includes investments in sustainable architecture, renewable energy use, and circular economy practices.

Transparent ESG reporting and active collaboration with stakeholders, including guests, employees, local communities, and governments, are crucial for driving broader systemic changes.

“Embracing sustainability as a core business strategy, rather than a mere add-on, will be key for the hotel industry to make a significant and positive impact on the planet and society,” asserts Durband.

The GSTC doesn’t just talk the talk when it comes to collaboration, as aside from hotel brands the organisation also works with tourism boards, universities, and other industry councils, like the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), to strengthen global sustainability practices.

Hotels can demonstrate their dedication to sustainability by entering the GSTC-Committed process. This represents a pledge by a hotel to fully implement the GSTC Criteria in its policy and operational guidelines, while also influencing its stakeholders and supply chain.

Overcoming barriers to sustainability

While ESG is becoming an increasing priority for the hotel industry, concerning results from GlobalData’s 2023 ESG sentiment polls show that while 51% of respondents said that their company had an ESG plan in place, 17% could not say whether their company had an ESG strategy, and 33% said their company had no ESG strategy.

Not only is this bad for the environment, it is also bad for business as guests become more conscious of the impact of their travels and look to hotels to mitigate this.

Durband notes that as sustainability becomes a more prominent selling point “hotels face the challenge of falling into greenwashing.”

Certification provides a safeguard against the smokescreens that can be created when marketing sustainability. “Being certified as a sustainable hotel by an Accredited Certification Body provides assurance that the certification is awarded according to processes that comply with international standards and good practices,” confirms Durband.

But once a hotel is certified, the work doesn’t stop there. Challenges to sustainable hotel operations as identified by Durband are “the need for significant upfront investments in sustainable technologies and infrastructure, the difficulty of measuring and effectively communicating the impact of sustainability initiatives, and ensuring that these practices are inclusive and beneficial to local communities.”

GSTC believes in a holistic approach to sustainability and emphasising the importance of balance in the wider tourism sector.

Durband confirms the GSTC’s understanding that “Tourism can be a powerful force for economic growth, providing jobs, stimulating local economies, and fostering infrastructure development.

“However, this growth must not come at the expense of the very assets that make destinations unique and attractive in the first place. To this end, the GSTC promotes practices and standards that safeguard natural environments, wildlife, and cultural heritage, ensuring they are preserved for future generations.”

Striking the balance between economic development through tourism and the conservation of natural and cultural resources is crucial to ensure that the journey towards sustainability is both responsible and effective.

"Behind the scenes of sustainable hotel certification with GSTC" was originally created and published by Hotel Management Network , a GlobalData owned brand.

The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.

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Sustainable Tourism certification

Preferred by nature offers accommodations and tour operators, including destination management companies, certification and services to help them improve and promote their environmental, social and economic practices. .

Our Sustainable Tourism Standards for Accommodations and Tour Operators are GSTC-recognised standards, which means that the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) has recognised them as equivalent to their GSTC Criteria for sustainable travel.

Tourism has become one of the fastest growing economic sectors in the world. ‎ As it is closely linked to development, it has become a key driver for socio-‎economic progress. It is also a vital contributor to job and wealth creation, economic growth, environmental protection and poverty alleviation. These are only possible when tourism areas are responsibly managed and planned.

By verifying against the Preferred by Nature Sustainable Tourism Certification, your company will be able to promote itself in a credible way, as a responsible tourism service provider within the global tourism sector and the growing responsible tourism market worldwide.

The Preferred by Nature Standard for Sustainable Travel Activities was subject to public consultation from May to July 2022. The comments and feedback gathered during that consultation were incorporated into the upgraded standard. The standard has also been redesigned to align with the Preferred by Nature Sustainability Framework  while maintaining its alignment with the  Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Criteria .  We invite you to learn more here .

Let our experts get in touch

Get started

You can begin your certification process and receive a service quote by filling in our Service Request Form or by contacting us . We will share information and guide you on the scope of certification that best fits your needs and company set-up.   

Typically, the certification process follows these five steps:  

Your options

Our certification offers lodging businesses around the world the opportunity to reliably endorse their commitment and sustainable management to today's responsible tourism market.  This is based on their performance in meeting our Preferred by Nature Sustainable Tourism Standard, recognised as equivalent to the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria for the GSTC-I industry.

Our certification services are available for: 

• Accommodation services worldwide, from all-inclusive resorts to jungle lodges and boutique hotels in modern urban or world heritage sites. 
• Tour operators ranging from local to regional tour operators who are operating in multiple destinations or countries.  

Our experience

• Expertise. With over 25 years of experience within certification, we have built a team of qualified auditors located across Europe, America, Russia, Africa and Asia. Our team consist of auditors with more than 20 years of experience in the tourism sector and our portfolio includes more than 80 tourism businesses, including hotels, resorts, tour operators and DMCs.
• Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Member. We are an active member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, the organisation that acts as the international accreditation body for sustainable tourism certification and manages the GSTC Criteria, global baseline standards for sustainability in travel and tourism.
• Highly qualified staff and a network of consultants. We have a network of expert auditors involved in the implementation of the Preferred by Nature Sustainable Tourism Certification Standard. 
• Focus on customer experience. Our aim is to provide you with a beneficial service that is supportive and friendly. Our professional services are delivered on time and in high quality. We will keep you up to speed on evolving certification requirements through client updates and provide you with the  support needed to understand the standard requirements and fulfil your certification objectives.
• Local presence, global reach. With staff located in 40 countries and backed by an extensive global network of experts, we cater to companies worldwide.

Additional value of engaging with us

• Partnership with global initiatives in favour of sustainable tourism. We collaborate with worldwide influential organisations and actors in the tourism sector to join global efforts to promote sustainability within the sector. To learn more about our partnerships, visit the Partners section.
• Contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Preferred by Nature Sustainable Tourism Certification allows companies to integrate, measure and monitor their sustainable management in a systematic way, allowing them to contribute in a tangible way to the achievement of the SDGs.
• The non-profit factor. We are mission-driven, which is reflected in our focus on delivering our services with integrity and a high degree of professionalism.  

Your benefits

Benefits for certified companies.

Travel businesses certified under the Preferred by Nature Sustainable Tourism Standard, will receive both technical and promotional benefits.

Technical Benefits

• Access to the Preferred by Nature Sustainable Tourism Certification system tools, including our tourism standards - recognised as equivalent to the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria for Industry (GSTC-I). 
• Regular feedback provided by expert auditors about your company's sustainable management system, which aims to help you identify strengths and areas of opportunity to achieve continuous improvement in your sustainable management systems.
• Opportunity to participate in Preferred by Nature Sustainable Travel Expert Courses with the purpose of providing technical knowledge on how certification works and better understanding of the standard.
• Webinars on relevant sustainable development topics applied to the travel industry.

Promotional Benefits

• Use of the Preferred by Nature hummingbird logo as a recognition of your compliance with the standard requirements. Certified companies can use the Preferred by Nature logo on their marketing, promotional and communication materials. 
• Presence on Green Your Vacation. Online directory created exclusively to promote Preferred by Nature Certified companies which highlights the sustainable characteristics of certified operations and service offerings.
• Dual certification, optional – Travelife Dual Certification for Accommodations and Tour Operators.
• Presence in Preferred by Nature social media accounts. We actively promote the actions of responsible companies and projects around the world via our Tripadvisor's Travel Feed , Instagram , Facebook , Twitter and LinkedIn accounts. 
• Presence in online booking platforms like Bookdifferent.com
• Third party listings shared with influential travel industry organisations, including GSTC, Transat, TUI, Hotelbeds.com, Green Travel Index, Sustainability Map, among others.  

Green Destinations GSTC-Accredited

Certification body.

About GSTC and Green Destinations

Our Certification Programs for Destinations are structured by Green Destinations Standard, recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and offers GSTC-Accredited certification to destinations in recognition of sustainable destination management.

“Obtaining GSTC-Accreditation affirms Green Destinations’ effort in complying with the highest international standards in order to establish and offer awards and certification programs.” – GSTC

The GSTC-Recognised Green Destination Standard covers a set of criteria to measure, monitor and improve sustainable destination efforts.

Our GSTC-Accredited Certification Programs

Green Destinations’ Certification Program enhances destinations’ sustainability and quality, along with its visibility worldwide. Some benefits of our program are:

• Continuous and comprehensive assessment and improvement of a destination’s sustainability ‘performance’
• Accredited independent recognition of a destination’s efforts, achievements and positioning as a place that takes good care of its environment, people and culture
• The use of GSTC logo and Green Destinations Certification logos
• Promotion of the destinations across Green Destinations’ social media, website, and  Good Travel Guide  platform

Green Destinations first Achieved GSTC-Accreditiation in 2018 and renewed this status in 2024. 

Affiliate Certification Programs

Green Destinations collaborates closely with other destination certification programs that chose Green Destinations for the back-office infrastructure and as Accredited Certification Body for their own (GSTC-Recognised) standard.

Mountain IDEAL is a certification scheme for mountain resorts in North America, with a number of well-known destinations certified such as Vail and Breckenridge (Colorado). It has a focus on the sustainability performance in a ski-resort context and is managed by the Walking Mountain Science Center.

Sustainability Label South Tyrol is a regional certification scheme in the bi-lingual Alpine region of Südtirol-Alto Adige in the north of Italy. Developed and managed by the regional organisation for Innovation, Development and Marketing (IDM), the South Tyrol Standard was derived from the GSTC-Destination Standard to become applicable to the regional context. 

Our GSTC-Accreditation extends to these 2 schemes. 

Our GSTC-Recognized Standard

The Green Destinations Standard (V2) is a GSTC-recognised set of criteria to measure, monitor and improve the sustainability policy and management of destinations and regions. It makes sustainable development concrete, objective and demonstrable. In 2020, the 1st GD Standard (developed in 2016) was updated based on consultation with the GD Partnership and re-aligned with the GSTC Destination Criteria V2 – prolonging its ‘GSTC Recognised Status’ in 2021.

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• Published on January 29, 2020

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Singapore achieves global destination sustainability certification

Singapore, 28 February 2023 – Singapore has been certified[1] as a sustainable destination based on the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)’s Destination Criteria, after being the first to apply the certification process on a country level. This reflects Singapore’s efforts and commitment in becoming a sustainable urban destination.

The GSTC Criteria are the global standards for sustainable travel and tourism, and Singapore was certified based on our performance in four pillars: sustainable management, socio-economic sustainability, cultural sustainability and environmental sustainability. Singapore’s achievement reflects the commitment towards the Singapore Green Plan 2030, and is also in line with the Singapore Tourism Board’s (STB) Tourism Sustainability Strategy. The Tourism Sustainability Strategy was launched in 2022 and sets out actionable strategies for the tourism industry so that Singapore can become a sustainable urban destination.

Singapore’s certification follows similar achievements by key tourism partners such as Sentosa Development Corporation, Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands Singapore, which had also achieved certification based on the relevant GSTC Criteria.

Mr Keith Tan, Chief Executive, Singapore Tourism Board (STB), said: “We are proud to receive this certification, which reflects Singapore’s commitment to the Singapore Green Plan 2030 and becoming a City in Nature, where large experiences come with a small footprint. Being certified is just the beginning of our journey. Tourism businesses must do more to internalise sustainability as part of their offerings, so that they can contribute to making Singapore greener and more liveable. Our vision is to become one of the world’s most sustainable urban destinations and we now know we are on the right track.”

Mr Randy Durband, Chief Executive Officer, Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) said, “The commitment from Singapore’s tourism sector to support their national Singapore Green Plan 2030 is apparent based on their holistic approach to sustainable tourism. We see first-hand some of their efforts to engage key subsectors of tourism in meaningful ways.  Gaining destination certification requires that level of commitment and holistic approach. We commend them and are pleased to support their efforts for continuous improvement.”

STB will continue to engage its partners, build on the destination’s existing strengths and ramp up efforts in areas of improvement. These are the highlights of Singapore’s sustainability performance across the four pillars:

Sustainable management

Singapore is implementing multi-year strategies and action plans on sustainable management, such as the Singapore Green Plan 2030. Announced in 2021, the Green Plan charts Singapore’s ambitions and targets over the next ten years, strengthens its commitments under the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and Paris Agreement, and positions the country to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

Another example is the Tourism Sustainability Strategy, which was developed in line with the Green Plan. The strategy charts three strategic focus areas to steward the tourism industry’s sustainability efforts – becoming a sustainable urban destination, building a sustainable tourism sector, and showcasing Singapore as a sustainable urban destination. For example, STB worked closely with industry associations to co-develop Hotel and MICE Sustainability Roadmaps which set out clear targets[2] for tourism businesses

Socio-economic Sustainability

Singapore also demonstrated efforts to maximise the social and economic benefits of tourism for locals. These include supporting and spotlighting local entrepreneurs, providing a safe and secure working environment, a user-friendly built environment, as well as supporting career opportunities and training in tourism.

STB’s Tourism Sustainability Programme (TSP) also supports tourism businesses across all stages of their sustainability journey – from building workforce capabilities, to leveraging technology and test-bedding sustainable solutions.

The Made With Passion (MWP) initiative[3] also spotlights and promotes over 100 local  brands globally, while Design Orchard provides an integrated retail and incubation space for local talent to flourish.  

On the jobs front, STB’s Tourism Careers Hub was established in January 2022 to facilitate job matching for locals, upskill workers to meet evolving demands, and drive business transformation efforts.

Cultural Sustainability

Singapore has various initiatives to conserve and enhance its tangible and intangible heritage. For example, there are legislation and conservation guidelines to protect more than 7,200 conserved buildings, entire historical districts, and national monuments. The Singapore Botanic Gardens was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015, making it the first and only tropical botanic gardens in Asia on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Hawker Culture in Singapore was also successfully inscribed as Singapore's first element on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on 16 Dec 2020.

To celebrate Singapore’s heritage, STB supports visitor experiences that showcase the country’s diverse cultures such as annual light-ups and celebrations in cultural precincts. These include the Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration, Deepavali celebrations, and the Hari Raya Light-Up.

Environmental sustainability

Singapore has implemented a range of measures to enhance greenery, strengthen ecological connectivity between green spaces, and conserve its biodiversity. For example, the OneMillionTrees movement, launched in 2020, aims to plant one million additional trees across Singapore by 2030 with the help of the community, and the target is on its way to being met. The country is also charting concrete targets and demonstrating real-world sustainability applications to manage its scarce resources. Singapore enhanced its international climate commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. It has committed to green[4] 80% of buildings by Gross Floor Area by 2030 and has already done so for over half of its buildings to date.

Tourism products and experiences have also been built with sustainability in mind. For example, many Singapore hotels are incorporating sustainable features into their design, with some winning awards for their eco-friendly efforts. In 2020, the Sands Expo and Convention Centre at the Marina Bay Sands became the first carbon-neutral MICE venue in Singapore. Gardens by the Bay, which houses over 1.5 million plants, is a living embodiment of our ‘City in Nature’ vision. Tour operators are also offering sustainability-focused tours showcasing Singapore’s rich biodiversity, its journey with water, power, waste management, and local culture.

You may download a photo from this link.

[1] By Vireo Srl, a GSTC-accredited certification agency based in Italy.

[2] E.g., 60% of hotel room stock in Singapore to attain internationally-recognised hotel sustainability certification by 2025; all six purpose-built MICE venues to obtain internationally or nationally recognised sustainability certification – or both – by 2025.

[3] Made with Passion is a national marketing initiative by the Singapore Tourism Board and Enterprise Singapore to promote consumer awareness and appreciation for our local lifestyle brands.

[4] A building is considered to be green if it meets minimum environmental sustainability standards set by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), achieves the BCA Green Mark certification, or has implemented initiatives under HDB’s Green Towns and SolarNova Programme.

About the Singapore Tourism Board

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is the lead development agency for tourism, one of Singapore’s key economic sectors. Together with industry partners and the community, we shape a dynamic Singapore tourism landscape. We bring the Passion Made Possible brand to life by differentiating Singapore as a vibrant destination that inspires people to share and deepen their passions.

More: www.stb.gov.sg or www.visitsingapore.com |

About the Global Sustainable Tourism Council

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council® (GSTC®) establishes and manages global standards for sustainable travel and tourism, 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. They are the result of a worldwide effort to develop a common language about sustainability in tourism. They are arranged in four pillars: (A) Sustainable management; (B) Socioeconomic impacts; (C) Cultural impacts; and (D) Environmental impacts.

The GSTC Criteria form the foundation Accreditation for Certification Bodies that certify hotels/accommodations, tour operators/transport providers, and destinations as having sustainable policies and practices in place. GSTC does not directly certify any products or services; but provides an accreditation program through its partner ASI/Assurance Services International to accredit Certification Bodies.

The GSTC is an independent and neutral organization, legally registered in the USA as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that represents a diverse and global membership, including national and provincial governments, leading travel companies, hotels, tour operators, NGO’s, individuals and communities – all striving to achieve best practices in sustainable tourism.

Information for the media: www.gstcouncil.org/about/for-the-press

About the Organisation

What industry does your organization fall within, what best describes the key intent of the project that your organisation is seeking funding for, is your organisation a singapore-registered legal entity, is your organisation an association, is the project able to achieve one or more of the following outcome.

• Increase no. of sailings to/from Singapore
• Increase no. of foreign cruise passengers to Singapore through sailings to/from Singapore
• Increase no. of pre/post nights for cruise passengers sailing to/from Singapore
• Increase capability of industry players via cruise-specific industry training programmes
• Strengthen the potential/ attractiveness of cruising in Singapore and/or Southeast Asia

Is the project able to achieve one or more of the following?

• Improve visitor satisfaction (especially foreign visitors)
• Increase footfall
• Increase revenue
• Significant branding and PR value

Is the project able to attract foreign visitors and contribute to foreign visitors' spend?

Who will be the main target audience of your project, is your project innovative and/or a new event in singapore with tourism potential, what best describes your project, does the event have proven track records in singapore or overseas, and/or growth in tourism value such as growing foreign visitorship, and/or enhancement of precinct vibrancy etc, does the project have a clear tourism focus (e.g. tourism-related trainings, tourism companies taking on capability development initiatives or technology companies creating technology products and services for the tourism businesses), what best describes your market feasibility study project.

Based on your selection, the following STB grant/s may be applicable for your project:

Please note that projects that have commenced prior to Singapore Tourism Board's offer may not be eligible for grant support. Examples where projects are deemed as having commenced include:

• Applicant has started work on the project e.g. tender has been called.
• Applicant has made payment(s) to any supplier, vendor or third party.
• Applicant has signed a contractual agreement with any supplier, vendor or third party.

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Take your commitment to the next level and become GreenStep Sustainable Tourism Certified with our Global Sustainable Tourism Council-Recognized and aligned standards.

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Fund large energy saving retrofits and carbon reduction projects, to support your climate action and net zero targets.  GreenStep EcoFund provides: 

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GreenStep can help your tourism business or destination measure and create a plan for reducing your carbon footprint. 

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GreenStep has helped over 6000 businesses since 2008.

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The criteria used in our assessments and certifications for tourism businesses and destinations have achieved Recognized status with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, ensuring global best practices and covering all 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

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“Thank you for all your help and guidance. It was such a great learning opportunity for us as a centre, I am excited to keep moving forward with our sustainability practices and adapting new ones as we grow as a visitor centre!

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GSTC – Global Sustainable Tourism Council

The GSTC (Global Sustainable Tourism Council) is a non-governmental organization established in 2007 with the support of UNEP – United Nations Environment Programme – and UNWTO – United Nations World Tourism Organization – to promote sustainability and social responsibility in the tourism sector.

GSTC certificate

About the certification.

GSTC is the global standard or norm for sustainable tourism and is comparable to other frameworks like MSC or FSC. In addition, GSTC Certification is a third party audit of a tourism business or destination to the GSTC standard.

Control Union is a GSTC accredited Certification Body. GSTC Accreditation plays an important role to assure impartiality, quality, competence and credibility of the process and the certification itself.

GSTC Certification can help tourism businesses to redefine the way they do business, for the benefit of both people and planet. This sustainability journey presents invaluable opportunities for tourism businesses and destinations for improvements, reflections, endowing credibility and connecting with host communities.

Sustainable Tourism

The travel and tourism sector is recovering strongly after the pandemic. It is expected that it will not take long before previous records will be reached again. At the same time, there is also a strong call in the sector to embed sustainable tourism and to ‘build back better’. Tourism needs to be managed responsibly to create a positive cycle of impacts on local communities, culture, environment and economies. This requires responsibility and actions from both tourism businesses and other stakeholders. At the same time, it provides plenty of challenges and opportunities in the sector.

Control Union Certifications (CUC) offers a global one-stop-shop for GSTC certification and a wide range of certification programmes

CUC is an Accredited Certification Body for the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Industry standards. This means we have been awarded certification according to processes that comply with the highest international standards and good practices

CUC can offer GSTC certification for both individual tourism enterprises as well as for groups of e.g. hotels or tour operators (group certification)

GSTC Accredited Certification programs:

Accreditation.

GSTC for hotels download criteria

GSTC for tour operators download criteria

GSTC for attractions & excursions (in the course of 2023)

Türkiye’s Sustainable Tourism Certification Program

GSTC – Tourism Program leaflet

How you benefit

By obtaining GSTC certification, you enjoy the following benefits:

Compliance with the highest social and environmental standards in the world & credible communication on your sustainability performance supported by use of the certified logo

Audited and certified by an accredited certification body with the highest level of impartiality and credibility & better connections with consumers who now expect independently verified green credentials

Happy guests = higher ratings. Certified businesses receive better reviews and ratings. This proves that certification boosts management and quality of services. Enhanced brand reputation as you are connected to a commitment to local communities and the environment

Better business and better risk management through regular review of operations and processes e.g. certified businesses manage their waste, water and energy much better and use less! Apart from significant cost savings, it is much better for the environment, host communities and your business

Local and global recognition towards businesses, governments, customers and host communities & preferred choice for bed banks, OTA’s , (business) travel companies etc. that highlight credible, sustainable travel options

How can I help you?

Are you looking for a certain service, do you have any questions or do you want to apply for the certification program? Let me know. My name is Seth Wang and I’m glad to be of help.

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Certification criteria

• Effective sustainable management Conformance with the legal and administrative requirements, depiction of an accurate brand image.
• Social and economic issues Impacts that the tourism business has on the well-being of its employees and the local community.
• Environment How the tourism business conserves its resources and reduces pollution. Another major aspect is conservation of biodiversity, ecosystems and landscapes.
• Cultural heritage The way the tourism business engages with and protects the cultural heritage.

One certificate can include the group of hotels or several legal entities

• Single certification Organizations operating out of one site: a single location with one physical address, e.g. Single Hotel or Single Tour-operator
• Multi Site certification Organizations at more than one location / physical address.All sites are individually audited against the GSTC Standard. Not all requirements would necessarily apply to all sites, e.g. hotel chain with properties in different locations, or tour operator working in different locations within the same destination.
• Group certification The group designates a central office that establishes internal controls and is responsible for sites compliance. UCSL will audit the central office and a sample of sites instead of every site receiving an audit as in a multi-site certificate. E.g. group of Hotels / Tour-operators in one Destination , or group of small independent Hotels from different owners that wish to apply for the GSTC Standard Certification at a given destination.

Benefits of GSTC certification for tourism businesses

Other certification systems

• Driving Certification

Driving change through social and environmental standards & certifications

• Responsibility
• Sustainability

Work with certification bodies to drive up social and environmental standards, and implement industry-leading standards for our own hotel new-builds and refurbishments.

• Global Sustainable Tourism Council
• Becoming a certified accommodation
• Tours, Activities, Excursions and Transport
• Destination Co-Lab

We all need to take responsibility for the sustainability challenges that lie ahead of us. By working together with our hotel and experience partners, we can take action to help shape a more sustainable future for tourism.

One of the ways our hotels and hotel partners do this is by achieving globally recognised sustainability certifications, demonstrating social and environmental good practice. Over the years many labels have been developed to help hotels manage sustainability. For consistency and quality, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) has set a global standard for all certifications, called the GSTC Criteria. The Criteria are organised around four main themes: effective sustainability management, maximising social and economic benefits for the local community, enhancing cultural heritage, and reducing negative impacts to the environment.

To ensure high standards, TUI mandates hotels to achieve certifications aligned with the GSTC Criteria in hotel accommodation contracts. Currently over 30 standards have achieved GSTC recognition status, such as Travelife, Green Key, Green Globe, EarthCheck and Biosphere. By carefully managing their impacts on local people, economies and habitats, each hotel is uniquely positioned to make a positive difference for the whole community. We have found our most sustainably managed hotels also consistently deliver reduced costs, better environmental performance, and higher customer satisfaction. We delivered over 54 million holidays to hotels certified as sustainable between 2015 to 2022. In 2022, we had 7.9 m customers staying in a hotel certified to a GSTC-recognised label standard. We will maintain our focus on certification as an effective tool to raise the sustainability bar across the industry, as well as work with industry standards to strengthen their sustainability criteria and roll out higher standards for our own hotels. By 2030 we aim to send 16 million customers a year to hotels which are certified as sustainable.

Through experiences and activities, our customers discover new places and contribute to the local economy. By working together with our experience partners, we believe that we can create more sustainable experiences, beneficial for all. We have embedded sustainability criteria into our differentiated excursions and delivered 6 million experiences with sustainability at their heart between 2015 to 2022. We will continue to build on this progress.

Our differentiated experiences give guests a true taste of each destination while meeting specific criteria for sustainability, e.g. suppliers must manage their environmental impacts, include visits to protected areas or cultural attractions on their excursions where possible, offer local cuisine and the opportunity to buy local products. Furthermore, fair employment practices, the protection of children and animal welfare guidelines must be ensured. 

In 2022 we applied the GSTC Criteria to individual tours and activities in order to assess their sustainability performance, the first tourism company in the world to do so. In 2022, 180 TUI Collection experiences have gone through this comprehensive process to meet global sustainability standards in destinations such as mainland Spain, Mallorca, the Canaries, Turkey and the Dominican Republic. By 2023, TUI aims for all TUI Collection experiences to meet global sustainability standards. TUI Collection is our own-branded portfolio of experiences available in over 100 destinations.

• GSTC Mission & Impacts
• GSTC History
• Market Access Program
• GSTC Board of Directors
• Assurance Panel
• Working Groups
• GSTC Sponsors
• GSTC Members
• Recruitment
• Contact GSTC
• GSTC For the Press
• Criteria Development, Feedback & Revisions
• Sustainable Tourism Glossary
• SDGs and GSTC Criteria
• GSTC Industry Criteria
• GSTC Destination Criteria
• GSTC MICE Criteria
• Criteria Translations
• GSTC-Recognized Standards for Hotels
• GSTC-Recognized Standards for Tour Operators
• GSTC-Recognized Standards for Destinations
• Recognition of Standards (for Standard Owners)
• GSTC-Committed
• Certification for Hotels
• Certification for Tour Operator
• Certification for Destination
• Accreditation for Certification Bodies
• Accredited Certification Bodies
• Stakeholder Consultations
• What is Certification? Accreditation? Recognition?
• Sustainable Tourism Training Program (STTP)
• Upcoming Courses
• Professional Certificate in Sustainable Tourism
• Professional Certificate in Sustainable Business Travel
• GSTC Trainers and Partners
• FAQs: GSTC Training Program
• Organization Membership Application
• Destination Membership Application
• Membership Policy
• Membership Categories & Fees
• Membership Payment Options
• Webinars for GSTC Members
• Members Log In
• Upcoming Webinars
• GSTC2024 Sweden, Apr 23-26
• GSTC2024 Singapore, Nov 13-16
• Past Conferences
• Destination Stewardship Report

GSTC Criteria

The global sustainability standards in travel and tourism, gstc2024 global conference, royal djurgården, stockholm, sweden - april 23-26, public consultation, revision of the gstc accreditation manual for certification of hotel/accommodation & tour operator v.4.0, for hotels & accommodations, for tour operators, for destinations & governments, for corporate & business travel, for certification bodies, for travelers, recent news.

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council launches the Early Adopter Program for the GSTC MICE Criteria

Stefi 2024-03-20T18:56:00+08:00 March 20th, 2024 |

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) publishes new GSTC MICE Criteria

Stefi 2024-03-19T16:09:47+08:00 March 19th, 2024 |

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) announces its First Monitoring and Evaluation Report

Stefi 2024-03-18T17:15:35+08:00 March 18th, 2024 |

UPCOMING WEBINARS

Exploring New Zealand’s Qualmark Standard | March 25th, 2024

Adriana Pizzi 2024-03-21T00:43:33+08:00 May 13th, 2022 |

GSTC Webinar Recording: Accessible & Inclusive Travel

rariel 2023-07-07T22:53:57+08:00 June 14th, 2019 |

GSTC offers its members unique webinars, you can watch the recordings of past webinars

wadmin 2023-02-04T04:00:01+08:00 January 25th, 2011 |

UPCOMING TRAININGS

GSTC Sustainable Tourism Course (Bahasa Indonesia) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, 14-16 May, 2024

Jisun Kim 2024-03-07T19:23:31+08:00 February 29th, 2024 |

Σεμινάριο Αειφόρου Τουρισμού GSTC (Ελληνικά) στην Αθήνα, Ελλάδα, 28-29 Μαρτίου, 2024

Jisun Kim 2024-02-09T17:47:06+08:00 February 9th, 2024 |

Σεμινάριο Αειφόρου Τουρισμού GSTC (Ελληνικά) στην Αθήνα, Ελλάδα, 27-28 Φεβρουαρίου 2024

Jisun Kim 2024-02-09T17:26:09+08:00 February 9th, 2024 |

CURRENT PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS

GSTC Attraction Criteria Development Public Consultation (until March 15th)

Public Consultation on GSTC Accreditation Manual Revision v.4.0 (until April 6th)

“ Collaborating with an esteemed body like GSTC reinforces our dedication to leading the industry towards a more sustainable future. It’s imperative that we work with key global players like GSTC to drive change, set benchmarks, and inspire others to follow.” Julia Simpson WTTC President & CEO

“ Joining the GSTC signifies our unwavering commitment to ensuring our activities are consistent with the long-term health of the communities and ecosystems where we operate. Through the GSTC community, we look forward to further collaboration with our partners across the travel and tourism industry to pave the way for a more sustainable and vibrant future . “ Caitrin O’Brien Vice President, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

“There can be hundreds of different sustainable tourism standards to choose from. The Global Sustainable Tourism Council has a reliable guide, and maintains recent sustainability criteria for hotels, destinations and tour operators.” Erik Solheim  Previous Executive Director, UN Environment

“We want to increase consumer awareness of GSTC as the leading tourism sustainability standard. In the future, we hope that all certified suppliers will be able to use the GSTC logo.” Jim Sano Vice President for Travel, Tourism and Conservation, WWF

“ With members spanning across the world, GSTC’s rigorous accreditation program not only elevates our initiative but also ensures that the hospitality sector worldwide moves toward a unified vision of sustainability .” Julia Simpson WTTC President & CEO

“ Certifications give travelers reassurance and orientation. However, we also know there are certifications of varying quality in the tourism sector. That’s why we have been working with the GSTC, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, for our hotels since 2012. We only accept sustainability certifications that are recognised by the independent GSTC and meet its strict standards .” Ian Corbett Head of Sustainability in TUI Group’s international sustainability team

“The St. Kitts Sustainable Destination Council was founded based on the principles of the GSTC Criteria for Destinations following St. Kitts and Nevis’s GSTC destination sustainability assessment.” Diannille Taylor‑Williams St. Kitts Ministry of Tourism

“ The GSTC certification is a testament to Marina Bay Sands’ ongoing commitment to minimize our environmental impact while providing our guests with a luxurious experience. Being the largest hotel in Singapore to be GSTC-certified shows our commitment in raising the bar for the industry and inspiring other players to adopt more sustainable practices. “ Meridith Beaujean Executive Director of Sustainability, Marina Bay Sands

“ Japan Airlines is honored to become a member of the GSTC. JAL places ESG strategy at the core of its management plan and strives to make various efforts. We expect to learn a lot from the council and make progress in our efforts to realize a sustainable society. “ OCHI Kenichiro Managing Executive Officer of Japan Airlines

“ The GSTC’s Industry Criteria played an important role from the very beginning in terms of how we set that measure and approached the overall development of the program. For the Travel Sustainable program and all the relevant interconnected systems we have in place at Booking.com to support it to have achieved GSTC-Recognized status is something we are incredibly proud of and encourages us to continue evolving the program further in line with these high standards .” Danielle D’Silva Head of Sustainability at Booking.com

“Taking WWF’s recommendation of GSTC also simplified processes for RCL and promises to do the same for consumers.” Stephanie DeMars Corporate Responsibility Specialist, Royal Caribbean Cruises

“ We are honored to be among the first U.S. destinations to join the GSTC . We look forward to collaborating with GSTC and the Los Angeles City Tourism Department to build a thriving industry that improves the quality of life for all Angelenos. “ Adam Burke President and CEO, Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board

“We have been using the GSTC Criteria to prepare service providers and DMOs for possible future certifications.” Annika Sandström Tourism Manager, Region Västerbotten (Sweden)

“ Being part of the GSTC provides us with ongoing connection to a global framework and network of professionals who are looking to solve the same challenges. We are really motivated to be part of it, and to learn, share and work together to ensure the industry we all love stays protected and respected for our future generations to enjoy. “ Jemma Fastnedge  Chief Sustainability Officer, Big Red Group

“Accredited Certification Bodies certify hotels, tour operators, and destinations to the GSTC Criteria. GSTC supports destinations in implementing the Criteria through trainings and assessments” McKinsey & Company

“TUI encourages all hotels offered to its 27 million customers to obtain certification that meets the GSTC Criteria. Sustainability expectations for accommodation suppliers are set in contracts.” TUI Group

“We have aligned our LightStay management system with the criteria of the UN-founded Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), the most respected seal of approval for sustainable travel and tourism practices.” Hilton

“The ATTA believes in the universal standards put forth by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council and that tourism businesses and destinations should adopt the criteria specifically in these four areas.” ATTA

“By the end of 2021, we aim for all tour operators used by MSC Cruises at our frequent destinations to be certified to a GSTC certification programme, or to be engaged in the process.” MSC Cruises

“RCL has endorsed the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), regarded by WWF as the leading standard for global sustainable tourism” Royal Caribbean Cruises

“Planning a getaway? Consider destinations, hotels, and tour operators that meet Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) standards. By doing so, you can minimize your environmental impact and send a powerful message to the travel industry about sustainable travel choices.” World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

“To find a destination that’s officially certified as taking sustainability issues seriously, visit the GSTC (Global Sustainable Tourism Council) website” Skyscanner

“Think carefully about where to stay. Look for leading eco certification badges, such as the non-profit Global Sustainable Tourism Council” The Guardian

“We’re working with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and other sustainability experts to share what properties like yours can do to make positive change in the industry.” Agoda

“The GSTC Criteria are the most credible global standards for sustainable tourism based on a highly inclusive development process. They provide a holistic definition of sustainability in tourism” One Planet Network

“No other organization than GSTC stands for such a diverse and global group of sustainable tourism players. The regular exchange with GSTC has significantly helped us to strengthen our approach and to learn from the best practices of the international network GSTC unites.” Switzerland Tourism

“For the past two years, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) has been busy accrediting certification bodies to certify highly sustainable operators” Lonely Planet

“For a list of global vendors, destinations, and hotels that abide by certain sustainability standards, explore the database at the Global Sustainable Tourism Council” Condé Nast Traveler

“To evaluate a certification program, check to see if it has been reviewed by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council – GSTC, an independent nonprofit that has established standards for sustainability in travel” The New York Times

“Accredited Certification Bodies certify hotels, tour operators, and destinations to the GSTC Criteria. GSTC supports destinations in implementing the Criteria through trainings and assessments” World Travel & Tourism Council

“TUI delivered 10.3 million ‘greener and fairer’ holidays through 1,688 hotels that were certified to a standard recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council in 2019.” TUI Group

“We continue to identify opportunities to achieve GSTC certification for our hotels to ensure the sustainability of our operations.” Hilton

“There are lots of different certification bodies offering eco-certifications around the world. We’d recommend selecting one that is officially recognised or accredited by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)” Booking.com

“The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is a comprehensive resource for learning about tourism businesses and destinations that strive to protect and sustain the world’s natural and cultural resources.” The Globe and Mail

GSTC followers receive once a month updates of important developments and opportunities

UNWTO SDGs Global Startup Competition

World tourism organization (unwto) ( united nations / multilateral body ), #sdgaction33508.

• Description
• SDGs & Targets
• SDG 14 targets covered
• Deliverables & timeline
• Resources mobilized
• Progress reports

The UNWTO SDGs Global Startup Competition is the UNWTO programme supported by UNIN and 21 corporate and institutional partners to identify the most innovative startups whose projects help accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by companies and destinations. The worldwide COVID-19 outbreak has brought the world to a standstill. Against this backdrop, tourism's proven resiliency, dynamic nature and capacity to create jobs and increase inclusiveness, this programme calls for a cross-sector approach to boost sustainable development all over the world. Target audience: startups from all walks of life, from all over the world and all economic sectors.

The Competition has followed the below calendar of execution: Call period: • 14 July 2020: Launch at the UNWTO Event within the High-level Political Forum • 14 July – 10 October 2020: Call for candidatures • 10 October – 22 December 2020: Evaluation Process by a technical committee comprised by partners of the programme. It was ensured that each startup was evaluated at least from 3 jurors of different backgrounds (public, private, sustainability, technology, tourism) • 23 December 2020: announcement of 35 finalists • 17 February 2020: announcement of winning startups (25 projects from 18 countries, covering the SDGs and all global regions) Programme of Benefits: From 2 March 2020 Startups are receiving: • Curated Mentorship Programme by partners such as Amadeus, BBVA, ClarkeModet, Google, IE University, Mastercard, Telefonica and the UNWTO Tourism Online Academy • Access to technological support by Amazon Web Services (AWS) Activate • Connection to Member States, partners of the competition and investors for opening the doors of funding and pilot projects opportunities • Inclusion in a UNWTO official publication on the Top 25 SDGs Startups • Pitching final event in a UNWTO forum in May 2020 within the framework of Spain’s International Tourism Fair • Eligibility to participate in additional innovation forums The programme will continue until summer 2021. Afterwards, winning, finalist and shortlisted startups will continue to be part of the UNWTO Innovation Network, meaning a careful follow up to provide support and track their impact on the advance of the SDGs.

• Over 10.000 participants from 138 countries, covering all UNWTO Regions • TOP 5 SDGs per number of submissions: 1. SDG 8 - Decent work and economic growth 2. SDG 11 - Sustainable cities and communities 3. SDG 9 - Industry, innovation and infrastructure 4. SDG 3 - Good health and well-being 5. SDG 4 - Quality education • 28% of total submissions were women-led startups • TOP 10 Countries per number of submissions: 1. Nigeria 2. Spain and USA 3. India 4. Colombia 5. Kenya 6. Brazil and Uganda 7. United Kingdom 8. Ghana and Iran 9. France and Tanzania 10. Indonesia • 25 winners feature enough traction and proven business models and technologies. Currently, they are ready to partner and UNWTO will be able to provide an impact report after the end of the Programme of Benefits. • Other editions of the competitions have helped Top 100 startups to reach a compiled amount of over 74.5 million USD in funding support from partners of the UNWTO Innovation Network. Meet the winners here: shorturl.at/nNOQ1

The most highlighting factors have been the support of the United Nations Innovation Network, from a set of collaborators that cover the whole array of stakeholders of the global tourism innovation ecosystem and the commitment of UNWTO Member States. It has ensured a successful sourcing of startups, diversity in their approach to the SDGs and high-quality projects. These same factors are allowing a strong Programme of Benefits to deliver impact on the SDGs.

The Competition is totally scalable: while being a global project, it is intended to provide not only benefits to global winners but to engage runner-ups and shortlisted startips from all regions and bring them into UNWTO Innovation Forums. In the same vein, pilot projects will be encouraged in local geographies, ensuring the adaptability of projects and a higher impact. The format is flexible both for beneficiaries and for partners. The Competition will have a second edition in 2021, to be launched in October in UNWTO’s General Assembly.

• Official website: https://www.unwto.org/sdgs-global-startup-competition • Announcement: https://www.unwto.org/news/unwto-invites-startups-to-pitch-ways-to-acce… • Finalists: shorturl.at/kyPR1 • Winners: shorturl.at/nNOQ1 • Launch at HLPF 2020: https://www.unwto.org/events/innovation-and-sustainability-as-the-new-n… • Event with UNSSC: https://www.unssc.org/featured-themes/unssc-live-unwto-un-innovation-to… • One of UNIN’s actions: https://www.uninnovation.network/challenges-and-calls/2020/9/20/f9uoj6u…

The worldwide COVID-19 outbreak has brought the world to a standstill. Consequently, the pandemic jeopardizes all of the progress achieved thus far in terms of sustainability. Against this backdrop, tourism's proven resiliency and dynamic nature can be harnessed to support and reinforce recovery. Given the sector's capacity to create jobs and increase inclusiveness, the Competition calls for a cross-sector approach to boost sustainable development all over the world (including other value chains such as agriculture, gastronomy, creative industries, etc.). In this regard, top startups help address challenges not only limited to the current pandemic but to global sustainability. It means, that they work to build resilience in the tourism sector, both advancing the SDGs and thinking even beyond 2030.

End poverty in all its forms everywhere

End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

Reduce inequality within and among countries

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development

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Other beneficiaries

Beneficiaries: 25 winning startups from 18 countries and 35 finalists Collaborators: Wakalua by Globalia, Qatar Airways, Government of Colombia, Qatar National Tourism Council, Moscow City Committee for Tourism, Amazon Web Services Activate, Globant, ClarkeModet, Google, Amadeus, BBVA, Mastercard, IE University, Inter-American Development Bank Innovation Lab, Impact Hub, Telefonica, Plug and Play, Advanced Leadership Foundation, FarCo, MentorDay.

More information

Contact Information

World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)

UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

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COMMITTEE FOR TOURISM - MOSCOW CITY GOVERNMENT

Country: Russian Federation

Website: https://www.mos.ru/tourism/

Tourism Web Portal

About the portal.

A technological tool for effective communication between the leading players in the Moscow tourism market and representatives of the foreign/regional tourism industry through online events. OBJECTIVES: • Building long-term cooperation with foreign/regional representatives • Raising awareness among foreign/regional representatives of the tourism industry of the tourism opportunities, measures and attractiveness of the city of Moscow in the field of tourist infrastructure development

Moscow City Tourism Committee

The Tourism Committee, or Mostourism, is the executive body of the Moscow City Government that oversees tourist activities in the capital. The Committee is responsible for legislative initiatives, congress and exhibition activities, and event and image projects. As the brand manager for an attractive tourism image for Moscow, Mostourism constantly analyses global trends, offers Russian and foreign tourists what they want, and also uncovers new opportunities for the capital in terms of interesting and rewarding leisure activities.

ANO «Project Office for the Development of Tourism and Hospitality of Moscow»

Syundyukova Yulia [email protected] Mezhiev Magomed [email protected]

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