Global Sustainable Tourism Council Seeking Input on Guidelines for Destinations

Criteria for Sustainable Destination

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) has announced the release of their Criteria for Destinations. The criteria are a set of guiding principles and performance indicators designed to lead destination managers, communities, and businesses on a path to sustainability: maximizing social, cultural, economic and environmental benefits while minimizing negative impacts. The Destination Criteria complement the existing GSTC Criteria for Hotels and Tour Operators.

The GSTC is inviting industry stakeholders to participate in the public consultation period by filling out this survey: http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/876118/GSTC-Destination-Criteria-Consultation-2012-English by June 2, 2012. The survey is available in English, French, Spanish, and Mandarin. These comments, along with feedback received through a pilot-testing program set to commence at five early-adopter destinations, will inform a final version of the Destination Criteria, to be produced later in 2012.

The GSTC's Destination Criteria were developed by a panel of business owners, academics, government officials, and other experts, who examined the UN World Tourism Organization's Indicators of Sustainable Development and other such guidelines currently in existence. Because the criteria are intended to describe a globally applicable set of minimum steps needed to approach sustainability, the criteria are seen as a baseline that each destination should add to or adjust as needed.

About the GSTC

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is a global initiative dedicated to promoting sustainable tourism efforts around the world. The GSTC works to expand understanding of and access to sustainable tourism practices; helps identify and generate markets for sustainable tourism; and educates about and advocates for a set of universal principles, as defined by the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria. The Criteria, a set of voluntary principles that provide a framework for the sustainability of tourism businesses across the globe, is the cornerstone of our initiative.