India
From the peaks of the Himalayas to the backwaters of Kerala, and from vibrant festivals to ancient heritage sites, India is a land of extraordinary contrasts and connections. Its diversity of landscapes, traditions, and communities makes it one of the world’s most compelling tourism destinations – but also one of the most complex to manage sustainably.
India is home to one of the fastest-growing tourism markets in the world, with over a billion domestic trips each year and millions of international arrivals. As demand for authentic, eco-friendly, and community-centered travel accelerates, so does the urgency to balance growth with sustainability. Protecting fragile ecosystems, ensuring water and waste management, and safeguarding cultural heritage are no longer optional, they are business imperatives.
India’s whole tourism future depends on balance: protecting its sacred rivers and mountains, celebrating its cultural richness, and ensuring communities benefit alongside guests. That balance is only possible when sustainability is not just spoken about but proven.
At UCSL, we meet this moment by partnering with hotels and tour operators across India that aim to achieve GSTC-accredited sustainable tourism certification. Whether you manage a boutique heritage property in Rajasthan, an eco-stay in Sikkim, or a national tour operator, we are here to support your alignment with the world’s highest standard in sustainable tourism and hospitality – giving your sustainability journey credibility, structure, and market visibility.
India is home to one of the fastest-growing tourism markets in the world, with over a billion domestic trips each year and millions of international arrivals. As demand for authentic, eco-friendly, and community-centered travel accelerates, so does the urgency to balance growth with sustainability. Protecting fragile ecosystems, ensuring water and waste management, and safeguarding cultural heritage are no longer optional, they are business imperatives.
India’s whole tourism future depends on balance: protecting its sacred rivers and mountains, celebrating its cultural richness, and ensuring communities benefit alongside guests. That balance is only possible when sustainability is not just spoken about but proven.
At UCSL, we meet this moment by partnering with hotels and tour operators across India that aim to achieve GSTC-accredited sustainable tourism certification. Whether you manage a boutique heritage property in Rajasthan, an eco-stay in Sikkim, or a national tour operator, we are here to support your alignment with the world’s highest standard in sustainable tourism and hospitality – giving your sustainability journey credibility, structure, and market visibility.
Global Standards, Local Impact, Real Business Results: Grow Smarter with GSTC Certification
The GSTC framework gives your business the structure it needs to:
- say sustainability influences their booking decisions (Booking.com Sustainable Travel Report, 2025)
- hotels with strong sustainability strategies can reduce costs by up to 30% (Sustainable Hospitality Alliance research)
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Strengthen brand reputationGSTC certification demonstrates credibility and builds trust with guests, investors, staff and locals -
Unlock B2B OpportunitiesOTAs, travel agencies, and corporate buyers increasingly prioritize GSTC-certified providers - the India sustainable tourism market is estimated to reach ~USD 216.7 million in the year 2034
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Deliver meaningful experiences & protect your destinationmeet demand for authenticity, and preserve what your guests value most
GSTC Certification equips hotels and tour operators to lead the transition toward responsible, future-ready tourism in India – proving sustainability with credibility, winning the trust of guests and partners, and aligning with a market growing at record pace. Certification is not just a competitive edge; it is the difference between extracting value from a destination and creating value for generations.
Read more about benefits of GSTC certification Our Presence in India
UCSL has a strong foundation in India, built on collaboration with trusted local experts and professionals. Our strategic partnership with QualStar, a highly experienced certification organization, ensures the highest level of quality and local expertise. Together with our partners and GSTC auditors, we bring global standards to life in the Indian market with rigor, clarity, and local insight.
Email: subha.bhaskar@qualstar.co.in
Phone: +91 987 100 3279
Website: www.qualstar.in
Location: Gurgaon, India
Phone: +91 987 100 3279
Website: www.qualstar.in
Location: Gurgaon, India
Authorized Subcontractor of UCSL in India
QualStar is UCSL’s authorized subcontractor in India, bringing decades of expertise in hotel certification and sustainability auditing. As a trusted local partner, QualStar ensures that the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) certification process is delivered with the highest rigor, while fully aligned with UCSL’s management system and international standards.
With a strong reputation across the Indian hospitality sector, QualStar bridges global certification frameworks with local insight and operational excellence. Their role as UCSL’s subcontractor ensures that auditing services in India are carried out with transparency, impartiality, and deep knowledge of the regional market.
With a strong reputation across the Indian hospitality sector, QualStar bridges global certification frameworks with local insight and operational excellence. Their role as UCSL’s subcontractor ensures that auditing services in India are carried out with transparency, impartiality, and deep knowledge of the regional market.
“Through our partnership with QualStar, we ensure that GSTC certification remains as reliable and rigorous as ever, while also becoming more accessible and relevant to the Indian market.”
- Olga Shuvalova, CEO of UCSL, Hotel Talk Magazine Interview
Representative and GSTC Auditor in India
Email: a.bhattacharyya@ucsl.eu
Location: Kolkata, India
Location: Kolkata, India
Anindita is a sustainability leader and environmental scientist with over 20 years of experience in natural resource management and certification. As UCSL’s Regional Representative and GSTC Auditor in India, she combines deep technical expertise with cultural insight, ensuring rigorous and credible audits across the country.
Dr. Anindita Bhattacharyya
Representative and GSTC Auditor in India
Email: a.bhattacharyya@ucsl.eu
Location: Kolkata, India
Location: Kolkata, India
Anindita’s career has been defined by her deep commitment to improving the planet’s health and fostering sustainable practices. From her early research into carbon offset schemes to her leadership as an auditor, she has consistently championed responsible resource management and sustainable consumption behaviors. Her technical expertise, combined with her passion for driving global sustainability, makes her an invaluable part of the UCSL team. Anindita’s technical expertise in natural resource management and sustainable tourism, combined with her passion for driving meaningful global change, makes her an invaluable part of the UCSL India team.
As UCSL’s Regional Representative and Auditor in India, she specializes in conducting rigorous GSTC certification audits, ensuring businesses align with the highest global standards of sustainable tourism. Her multilingual skills in Hindi, Bengali, Assamese, and Tamil enable her to collaborate effectively across India’s diverse regions.
As UCSL’s Regional Representative and Auditor in India, she specializes in conducting rigorous GSTC certification audits, ensuring businesses align with the highest global standards of sustainable tourism. Her multilingual skills in Hindi, Bengali, Assamese, and Tamil enable her to collaborate effectively across India’s diverse regions.
With her leadership, UCSL continues to expand its mission in India, promoting openness, accountability, and excellence in sustainability practices across tourism industry.
I believe that building a resilient future starts with managing natural resources responsibly and embracing sustainable consumption behaviors. This belief has guided my journey – from researching carbon offset schemes to my role as a GSTC Auditor. Collaborating with UCSL enables me to advance sustainable tourism by promoting GSTC standards, fostering responsible consumption, and driving environmentally conscious practices. At UCSL, I have found a team of changemakers who share my values and inspire me.”
Dr. Anindita Bhattacharyya is an accomplished sustainability leader and environmental scientist with over 20 years of experience in forestry, natural resource management, and sustainability certifications. Based in India, she brings an impressive background as a Lead Auditor for FSC, PEFC, GSTC, and BOSCH, with more than a decade of expertise in auditing and certification.
Her academic journey reflects a lifelong commitment to sustainability. Anindita holds a Ph.D. in Engineering from the School of Water Resource Engineering, Jadavpur University, where her research focused on innovative environmental solutions. She furthered her specialization with an M.Phil. in Natural Resource Management from the Indian Institute of Forest Management in Bhopal and earned her Master’s in Environmental Science from Chatrapati Sahuji Maharaj University, Kanpur. Her foundation in environmental sciences is complemented by a Bachelor’s degree in Botany, Zoology, and Chemistry from Christ Church College, Kanpur.
Her academic journey reflects a lifelong commitment to sustainability. Anindita holds a Ph.D. in Engineering from the School of Water Resource Engineering, Jadavpur University, where her research focused on innovative environmental solutions. She furthered her specialization with an M.Phil. in Natural Resource Management from the Indian Institute of Forest Management in Bhopal and earned her Master’s in Environmental Science from Chatrapati Sahuji Maharaj University, Kanpur. Her foundation in environmental sciences is complemented by a Bachelor’s degree in Botany, Zoology, and Chemistry from Christ Church College, Kanpur.
Why Sustainability Matters for Tourism in India
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Tourism growth is putting pressure on fragile ecosystemsFrom the Himalayas to Kerala’s backwaters, India’s landscapes face rising pressure from mass tourism, water scarcity, and climate change. Sustainability is the only way to protect the very resources that make travel here extraordinary - Tourism should empower, not exploit. Travelers are increasingly conscious of their footprint and actively seek travel experiences that support conservation and benefit local communities. Sustainable practices ensure that India’s living traditions, heritage sites, and local communities remain genuine, vibrant, and fairly supported by the industry
- In 2023, the sustainable tourism market in India was valued at INR 329.53 billion (≈ USD 3.95 billion) and is expected to reach INR 2.24 trillion (≈ USD 26.9 billion) by 2030, expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 35.52% during 2024–2030
Regional Highlights and Milestones
Several forces are driving the rise of sustainable tourism in India. A new generation of travelers is demanding experiences that are authentic, ethical, and environmentally responsible. Hotels, resorts and tour operators are aligning with sustainability standards to attract the growing segment of environmentally conscious travellers. There is also a stronger push to involve local communities as stakeholders and beneficiaries, so that cultural heritage is safeguarded and tourism contributes to fair, long-term livelihoods. At the same time, government policies aimed at tackling overtourism, protecting biodiversity, and promoting decentralized tourism are creating a strong policy push.
In response to these shifts, India has taken major steps to embed credible, globally-acknowledged, standards-based approach. The Hotel Association of India (HAI) has signed an MoU with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), strengthening industry alignment with international standards. States such as Uttar Pradesh are incentivizing certification by reimbursing 50% of GSTC-accredited certification fees for tour operators. Partnerships with Agoda, USAID, and the Government of Goa have brought GSTC Training and Hotel Sustainability programs to hundreds of professionals across the country. Local partners like Green Dreams for the Planet are expanding training and awareness, while the GSTC India Working Group continues to work at the national level.
For hotels and tour operators in India, GSTC Certification provides the structure to move from aspiration to action, delivering credibility with regulators and OTAs, trust with travelers, and stronger positioning in one of the world’s fastest-growing tourism markets. With UCSL’s authorized partners and experienced auditors, we bring grounded expertise to every certification journey.
To know more →
For hotels and tour operators in India, GSTC Certification provides the structure to move from aspiration to action, delivering credibility with regulators and OTAs, trust with travelers, and stronger positioning in one of the world’s fastest-growing tourism markets. With UCSL’s authorized partners and experienced auditors, we bring grounded expertise to every certification journey.
To know more →
Milestones
- Incentives for Tour Operators in Uttar Pradesh, India: 50% reimbursement of certification fees by GSTC-Accredited Certification Bodies
- GSTC Partners with Agoda and the Government of Goa to Promote More Sustainable Tourism in India
- The GSTC Hotel Sustainability Training for Industry Professionals in India, in partnership with Agoda & USAID, concluded successfully
- The Hotel Association of India (HAI) and The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) signed an MOU
- India Advances Sustainable Tourism Knowledge and Standards
- GSTC Training News: Green Dreams for the Planet Becomes a Training Partner in India
- GSTC activities in India in partnership with GreenOtels
- Advancing Sustainable Tourism in India: GSTC’s Role Highlighted in it’s National Strategy 2021
- Contrasting Tourism Landscapes in Karnataka, India
- GSTC was present at India’s Sustainability Conclave
- GSTC was present at the India Travel & Tourism Sustainability Conclave 2025
- GSTC India Working Group
- TravTalk Magazine Interviews GSTC Vice Chair, CB Ramkumar
Watch, Learn, and Get Inspired
GSTC in India Adopting the Sustainability Agenda in the Travel & Tourism Marketplace
Part I - GSTC Certification in India: Sustainability Standards & Strategy by States
Part II - GSTC Certification in India: Sustainability Standards & Strategy by States
Inside GSTC Directory | Travel TV News | GSTC Hotels Directory
Sustainability: Key Barriers Decoded | Travel TV News
Eco India: An eco-tourism model that focuses on forest conservation and building the local economy
Unpacking Sustainable Tourism in India through the lens of the GSTC Criteria
Build Sustainability Skills – Free GSTC Training for Hospitality Professionals
In partnership with Agoda, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) has launched the Sustainable Tourism Academy – a free digital training platform designed to equip hoteliers and tourism professionals across Asia with practical sustainability knowledge and tools.
Available in multiple languages, including English, the Academy covers topics such as sustainable management, cultural and environmental impacts, and strategies to attract sustainability-minded travelers. Participants who complete the program receive a joint certificate from GSTC and Agoda, recognizing their enhanced skills.
Explore the training: sustainabletourismacademy.org
Available in multiple languages, including English, the Academy covers topics such as sustainable management, cultural and environmental impacts, and strategies to attract sustainability-minded travelers. Participants who complete the program receive a joint certificate from GSTC and Agoda, recognizing their enhanced skills.
Explore the training: sustainabletourismacademy.org
GSTC Standards in Local Languages
FAQs for Tourism Businesses in India
On average, certification takes 3 to 6 months from start to finish. The exact timeline depends on your business size, your initial preparedness, and how quickly you can respond at each step. UCSL structures the process into clear, achievable phases to keep your team on track – even if sustainability is completely new to you.
Here’s what the typical journey looks like:
Here’s what the typical journey looks like:
- Self-Assessment Checklist: Immediately after signing, we provide a comprehensive checklist to map your current practices against GSTC Criteria and highlight areas for improvement.
- Introductory Orientation Call: A 30-minute session with your assigned UCSL coordinator or auditor to clarify timelines, expectations, and next steps.
- Preliminary Assessment – Remote Document Review & Gap Report: We review your policies, procedures, and evidence remotely, then share a Gap Report highlighting areas that need adjustment before the official audit.
- On-site Audit: A UCSL auditor visits your property or operation in India, conducting staff interviews, facility tours, and evidence checks to ensure on-the-ground implementation.
- Decision & Certification: An independent UCSL reviewer evaluates the audit report. If criteria are met, we issue your GSTC certificate along with a detailed report. If there are remaining gaps, you’ll have up to 3 months to address the
Absolutely. UCSL is uniquely equipped to support these operations in India. Here’s how:
- Tailored methodology – we adapt the GSTC audit approach to businesses with seasonal, off-grid, or limited documentation systems.
- Optimized logistics – we plan auditor travel efficiently (often grouping multiple nearby audits in one trip) to reduce costs and minimize disruption.
- Flexible timing – we align audits with monsoon cycles, tourist seasons, or local festivals to fit your operating reality.
- Practical guidance – the GSTC Standard is scalable and adaptive: core criteria apply globally, but how you meet them depends on your size, location, and context. Whether you’re a family-run lodge in Himachal or a five-star chain in Delhi, GSTC certification works in your own setting.
Yes. At UCSL, we prioritize accessibility and regional relevance, including language.
- We assign local, multilingual auditors where possible.
- Interviews, document checks, and site visits can be conducted in your preferred working language with the support of an independent translator.
- Our supporting materials and self-assessment checklists are available in local languages upon request.
- We understand that many Indian hospitality teams are more comfortable in Hindi or regional languages, and we match your project with an auditor who reflects that need.
GSTC Certification is the global reference point for sustainable tourism. While other certifications may work regionally, they often lack the same international credibility.
Here’s how GSTC is different – and more future-ready:
Here’s how GSTC is different – and more future-ready:
- Globally recognized by the United Nations, OECD, and ISO-based frameworks
- Endorsed by regulators under the EU’s frameworks
- Required or prioritized by OTAs like Booking.com, Trip.com and Agoda for eco-filter visibility
- Legal protection against greenwashing risks
- Performance-based – ensuring real impact, not just checklists
Training is not mandatory, but in our experience it makes a major difference, especially for operational managers, engineering teams, and front-office leaders.
UCSL offers regionally tailored support in India, including:
UCSL offers regionally tailored support in India, including:
- Training sessions on the most commonly misunderstood GSTC Standards (e.g., community engagement, procurement, labor practices, and energy management).
- Internal tools & documentation guidance, including a structured Self-Assessment Checklist and strategy session.
- Not sure if your team is ready? Contact us to request a no-obligation intro session with our training or certification specialists.
Yes – UCSL specializes in working with luxury, boutique, and design-forward hotels across India’s diverse destinations, from heritage palaces in Rajasthan to eco-resorts in Kerala and boutique lodges in the Himalayas. We know that upscale properties have distinct brand identities and guest expectations, and we ensure the certification process reflects that. Here’s how we support top-tier hotels and resorts in India:
- Senior-level auditor assignment with experience in India’s high-end hospitality sector
- Customized planning to accommodate discreet processes, flexible timelines, and NDA or VIP confidentiality where required
- Premium pricing structures designed for multi-departmental teams, complex facilities, or resort-scale operations
- Optional integration with other reporting frameworks (e.g., ESG indicators, investor sustainability disclosures)
- From palace hotels to boutique eco-retreats, our approach is discreet, curated, and strategically aligned with your market positioning
Yes. UCSL actively works to make GSTC certification more accessible for businesses in India by offering a range of strategic discounts and connections to government initiatives.
Available opportunities may include:
Available opportunities may include:
- Promotional pricing for case study hotels and tour operators – in exchange for allowing UCSL to publish anonymized findings or participate in public showcases
- National or regional tourism board initiatives, such as Uttar Pradesh’s reimbursement scheme covering 50% of GSTC-accredited certification fees for tour operators
- Partnerships and training programs with organizations like Agoda, USAID, and the Government of Goa, which have already supported hundreds of Indian hospitality professionals
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