In an era where sustainability is rapidly becoming both a business imperative and a competitive market differentiator, credible standards are essential. The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is the internationally recognised authority that defines what “sustainable tourism” means in practice — and Version 4 of its guidelines marks the latest evolution in that global baseline.
What is GSTC?
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is a nonprofit organisation established to set and manage global standards for sustainable travel and tourism. Its standards (formerly known as “GSTC Criteria” and now referred to as the GSTC Standards) provide a common framework for measuring sustainability performance across tourism sectors including hotels, tour operators, destinations, and attractions. These standards cover key areas such as governance, socioeconomic benefits, cultural heritage, and environmental stewardship. Importantly, GSTC does not certify hotels or destinations directly. Instead, it accredits independent certification bodies to ensure that third-party certifications are conducted with credibility, impartiality, and technical competence.
Why GSTC Standards Matter
In a marketplace where sustainability claims are increasingly scrutinised, GSTC provides:
- Global credibility: GSTC-aligned certification is recognised by governments, NGOs, and international travel platforms because it adheres to the highest sustainability benchmarks.
- Common language and comparability: The standards create a consistent definition of sustainable tourism, enabling hotels and destinations to benchmark progress and communicate transparently to stakeholders.
- Alignment with global goals: GSTC Standards support holistic sustainable development outcomes that resonate with UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including responsible consumption, climate action, and quality employment.
What’s changed with Version 4?
Version 4 represents an important evolution in how GSTC structures its standards — with a clear focus on making them more practical, relevant, and usable for real-world tourism businesses.
Previously, hotels and tour operators were covered under a single “Industry Standard”. Following the latest revision, this has now been formally separated into two distinct standards:
- The GSTC Hotel Standard (for all types of accommodation)
- The GSTC Tour Operator Standard (for tour operators of all sizes)
This may sound like a technical change, but it’s actually very significant. It recognises that hotels and tour operators operate very differently — and that sustainability frameworks need to reflect those realities.
The revised standards also place stronger emphasis on:
- Measurable, quantifiable indicators (so objectives are clearer and progress can be tracked properly)
- Clearer interpretation guidance (to reduce ambiguity and improve consistency)
- Improved usability for teams on the ground (not just sustainability specialists)
Overall, the direction is clear: GSTC is strengthening clarity, practicality and credibility — helping move sustainability away from vague ambition and towards structured, evidence-based performance.
Why Hotels and Destinations Should Engage
For hotel teams and destination managers considering their sustainability strategies, there are compelling reasons to pursue certification through GSTC-accredited bodies or GSTC-aligned standards:
- Third-party verification builds trust: Independent assessment from a GSTC-accredited certification body reinforces confidence among guests, investors, and commercial partners that sustainability claims have substance.
- Differentiation in the market: As travellers demand environmentally and socially responsible options, GSTC-aligned certification helps properties and destinations stand out against competitors.
- Improved operational performance: The GSTC framework encourages systematic approaches to energy, water, waste, community engagement, and cultural preservation — often unlocking cost savings and operational resilience.
- Policy and procurement alignment: Many Destination Management Organisations and tourism boards increasingly refer to GSTC or incorporate it into their sustainability roadmaps. Certification supports alignment with broader destination sustainability goals.
- Future-proofing against regulation: With evolving sustainability regulations and green claims legislation, credible certification helps mitigate risk associated with vague or unsupported claims.
GSTC Version 4 may be “behind the scenes” in technical detail, but its implications are front-of-mind for any hotel or destination that takes sustainability seriously. By anchoring their efforts to GSTC-aligned certification, organisations not only meet global best practices — they also reinforce trust, improve performance, and future-proof their sustainability commitments in an increasingly transparent and accountable tourism ecosystem.
Want support navigating GSTC-aligned certification?
If your hotel, portfolio or destination is exploring sustainability certification and you’re unsure where to start, we can help.
At Sustainability Kiosk, we work with hotel teams to identify the most appropriate GSTC-accredited or GSTC-aligned certification pathways, support internal readiness, and guide the process from strategy through to audit.
If you’d like to explore options, compare frameworks, or sense-check your current approach, get in touch. or read which certification is right for you
