A presentation made at the IUCN WCPA Tourism and Protected Areas Specialist Group's Strategy and Networking event at the World Parks Congress, in Sydney 2014.

1. Dr. Kelly Bricker
Vice Chair, GSTC
Chair, TIES REC

2. THE INTERNATIONAL ECOTOURISM SOCIETY

3. Q: What and Who is the GSTC?
A: the leading global authority in
setting standards for what can be
called “sustainable” in travel &
tourism

4. Supporters include:
 United Nations: UNWTO + UNEP
 NGO’s: IUCN, Rainforest Alliance, Universities
 Private Sector: TUI Travel, Sabre
 Travel Trade Associations: PATA, ATTA, ASTA
Plays a unique role relating to standards
Global and Virtual
Advocacy for sustainable tourism, and for ST’s place
in international conservation and development
activities

5. GSTC’s Core Activities
Criteria (Standards) for
Sustainability
– Hotels & Tour Operators
– Destinations

6. Global Sustainable Tourism Council’s Criteria
 Created with the input of worldwide expert NGO’s,
academics, private sector, public authorities
 Define sustainable tourism in a way that is
actionable, measurable and credible.
 A minimum standard of sustainability for tourism
businesses and destinations across the globe.

7. 37 criteria for hotels & tour operators
41 criteria for destinations
all based on these 4 pillars
Social &
Economic Cultural Environmental
Sustainability
Management
Bruno Maia/Naturezafotos.org Bruno Maia/Naturezafotos.org

8. GSTC Sustainability Criteria
• Worldwide applicability
• Suitable for developed and developing
countries
• For large and small businesses, and for
destinations
• For urban, rural, and natural areas
• Considering traditional and indigenous
communities

9. Utilizing the Criteria Translations
 Raise awareness of ST issues by distributing
them widely: to travel companies, public sector
tourism officials, students…on websites and in
print
 Incorporate them into training materials; contact
us for university tourism program collaboration
 Use as a checklist to improve performance
 Create national, regional, or local standards
based upon them
 Create subsector standards based upon them

10. GSTC’s Core Activities
• Criteria (Standards) for Sustainability
– Hotels & Tour Operators
– Destinations
• Certification: Verify Certifiers’ Programs

11. Destinations – Early Adopter Program

12. Sustainable Destination Program
• Training for Destination Management
• Destination Assessments

13. GSTC’s Core Activities
Training Program in multiple languages on
sustainable tourism, offered globally

14. How You Can Engage with GSTC
Everyone:
• Gain familiarity with the criteria and apply them
widely
• Organize GSTC Sustainable T&T Training Classes
• Certification: appreciate its value and promote its
application to destinations and travel companies

15. How You Can Engage with GSTC
Public Sector:
o Use our tools and services
o Work towards destination certification
Private Companies:
o Certification from a GSTC-Recognized/Approved
certification body
o Join or sponsor
NGO’s and Educators:
o Join us and participate in working groups
o Incorporate the criteria into programs

16. Summary…
– Sustainable Destination Management
–Training & Education
– Certification & Standards

17. Thank you!
www.gstcouncil.org
Kelly Bricker, Vice Chair
Kelly.bricker@health.utah.edu