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.