Sustainability certification nuances can feel complicated and overwhelming, especially for tourism professionals already navigating the demanding pace of daily operations. Managing a hotel or running a tour operation leaves little time to decipher frameworks and terminology.

This is precisely why clarity and structure matter. We’ve worked with a range of tourism professionals, each at different stages of their sustainability journey, and understand the importance of streamlined processes and consistent communication at every stage.
Understanding Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) certification principles equips you to make informed and sustainability-aligned decisions.

In this article, we address some of the most frequently asked questions about GSTC Certification, including its meaning, structure, and what makes it a credible, effective, and achievable pathway toward verified sustainability for accommodation providers and tour operators.

A common misunderstanding is that Global Sustainable Tourism Council is just another sustainability label. In fact, GSTC is not just another label; its mission is to define, maintain, and promote the GSTC Criteria - the globally acknowledged standard for sustainable tourism.

Most importantly, GSTC does NOT certify directly. That is the job of the Certification Bodies; GSTC’s job is to accredit those that certify. It was created by international institutions to serve a very specific role: setting global sustainability standards for tourism, and accrediting certification bodies that certify others.

Founded in 2007 by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), and 32 other global stakeholders, GSTC functions as the central body overseeing global principles for sustainable travel. Its mission is to define, maintain, and promote the GSTC Criteria. The Criteria represent the minimum, not the maximum, which businesses, governments, and destinations should aim to achieve to approach social, environmental, cultural, and economic sustainability.

The GSTC Criteria were developed through an extensive, multi-stakeholder global process and are structured under four key pillars: sustainable management, socioeconomic benefits to local communities, cultural heritage protection, and environmental conservation. The Criteria are used for education and awareness-raising, policy-making for businesses and government agencies and other organization types, measurement and evaluation, and as a basis for certification.

Third-party certification conducted by a GSTC-Accredited Certification Body stands apart from other types of certification due to its credibility and structural independence. The certifier and the standard owner are entirely separate entities, with the certification body itself undergoing regular audits by GSTC to ensure ongoing compliance. This layered accountability provides assurance to guests, partners, and stakeholders that the certification was issued through a transparent, competent, and impartial process.

Certification, accreditation, and recognition - terms often mistakenly used interchangeably… Here they are explained simply:

A voluntary third-party assessment of a tourism business or destination, based on compliance with a given standard. Certification ensures a business’s practices are evidence-based and verifiably aligned with sustainability principles.

A quality assurance process. GSTC does not certify businesses, it accredits Certification Bodies (CBs) that conduct the certification. Accreditation verifies that the CB works impartially, neutrally, and according to international best practices.

For example, when a hotel achieves GSTC-Accredited certification, it is incorrect to refer to the hotel itself as “GSTC-Accredited.” The correct terminology is “GSTC-Certified,” meaning certified by a GSTC-Accredited Certification Body.

When GSTC "recognizes" a standard, it confirms that the wording of the standard aligns with the GSTC Criteria. However, recognition does not review the usage of the standard, the standard owner’s competence and credibility, or any processes the standard is being used for.

One of the most common misconceptions is the belief that a business must become a GSTC Member to get certified. This is not true.

• Certification is an independent third-party audit confirming that your business meets the GSTC Criteria.
• Membership is a voluntary affiliation with the GSTC organization, offering access to networking, events, and resources - but is not required for certification.

At UCSL, we frequently meet tourism professionals who were offered certification schemes bundled with memberships or subscriptions, adding significant hidden costs. This is not the case with GSTC-accredited certification, there are no hidden or recurring costs. You only pay for the certification itself.

Partnering with a GSTC-Accredited Certification Body ensures your certification reflects true global sustainability standards and distinguishes your business as a leader in responsible tourism.

Because accreditation is your guarantee that the certification process itself meets the highest international standards of quality. A GSTC-Accredited Certification Body operates under strict requirements for transparency, impartiality, and procedural rigor, and is regularly audited by GSTC. This ensures that every certificate issued is the result of a reliable, independent, and transparent process.

In other words, it is a mark of trust in the certification system as a whole.

➡️ Read more here: Why GSTC-accredited certification is the premier choice

GSTC-accredited certification with UCSL follows a seamless, transparent, and well-supported process. This includes:

1. Getting your application and its review, certification scope assessment and audit costs calculations
2. Contract Signing
3. Self-Assessment and Document Preparation
4. (Optional) Preliminary Audit to assess your compliance and get ready for official assessment
5. Onsite Initial Audit
6. Certification Issuance (valid for 3 years)
7. Annual Surveillance Audits and Re-Certification Audit at the third year of certification cycle

Each step is clearly communicated, with multilingual support and accessible timelines.

➡️ Learn more: How to become GSTC-Certified

While GSTC is the most rigorous certification framework in the tourism industry, it is also the most transparent and credible. The criteria are publicly available, the process is clearly documented, and the requirements are objective and evidence-based.
It is not designed to offer partial achievements or tiered rewards. There are no “silver” or “gold” shortcuts. Certification confirms full alignment with GSTC Criteria, not a halfway mark. Achieving this level of conformity requires commitment, internal coordination, and significant effort.

But you’re not on this journey alone. At UCSL, we provide a clear procedural roadmap, consistent communication, and an individualized approach adapted to the specific context of your business. Our role as a certification body is to assess,but we ensure that your path is logical, understandable, and professionally supported. Language support and regional context are taken into account, and every audit is adapted to the reality of your operation - while upholding the integrity of the GSTC standard.

Certification is not a one-time achievement - it is the beginning of a continuous improvement cycle. In fact, the GSTC Criteria include provisions for tracking progress over time and updating practices as your business evolves.

This structure allows businesses to grow into certification, using the criteria as a strategic sustainability framework rather than a compliance checklist. You don’t need to have all the answers on day one, but by choosing GSTC, you ensure that you’re building on the most solid foundation from the start.

Sustainability is increasingly shaping the way tourism operates, from procurement and funding to traveler expectations and destination strategy. GSTC Certification is a clear, verifiable way to align your business with the global direction of the industry.
The process is structured and transparent: you don’t need a membership, consultancy package, or annual subscription to begin.

Start with the global standard. Build credibility. Grow responsibly.

📩 Contact UCSL to begin your certification journey: cert@ucsl.eu