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.
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)
  • Strengthen brand reputation
    GSTC certification demonstrates credibility and builds trust with guests, investors, staff and locals
  • Unlock B2B Opportunities
    OTAs, 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
  • Deliver meaningful experiences & protect your destination
    meet 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
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.
“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
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
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.
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.
Why Sustainability Matters for Tourism in India
  • Tourism growth is putting pressure on fragile ecosystems
    From 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 and GreenOtels 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
Watch, Learn, and Get Inspired
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
GSTC Standards in Local Languages
FAQs for Tourism Businesses in India