GSTC standards and resources

Guidance for incremental improvement in sustainable travel and tourism

Overview

The 2025 Sustainable Travel Report from Booking.com finds that, for the first time, more than half of travelers (53%) are now conscious of travel’s impact on communities as well as the environment, and that two thirds (69%) now want to leave places better than when they arrived. Similarly, the report reveals that while more than half (57%) feel that tourism has a positive impact overall on the place where they live, adjustments are needed so that destinations can grow at a healthy pace and continue to be enjoyed by all.

In the face of evolving visitor sentiment in support of sustainability, there is a need for a uniform framework to guide sustainable tourism investments by businesses and destinations. To this end, Visit California became a member of Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), the internationally recognized leader in tourism sustainability resources.

One common way for businesses and destinations to demonstrate leadership in sustainable tourism is to seek third-party certification of compliance. The recognized international standard for sustainable tourism is overseen by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).

Visit California has compiled the following information in line with:

Objectives stated in the Destination Stewardship and Sustainable Travel Plan to “promote standards, practices and values of sustainable travel, and research and audit green certification programs for all industry segments”
Recommendations in the Statewide Opportunities report of the Regional Strategic Tourism Plans concerning the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)

GSTC information and resources

GSTC establishes and manages global standards for sustainable travel and tourism, known as the GSTC Standards. There are four sets:
- Destination standard for public policymakers and destination managers
- Industry standard for hotels and tour operators
- MICE standard for venues, event organizers and events and exhibitions
- Attraction standard for tourist attractions such as theme parks, museums and national parks
These sets of criteria are the result of a worldwide effort to develop a common language about sustainability in tourism. They are arranged in four pillars: (A) sustainable management; (B) socioeconomic impacts; (C) cultural impacts; and (D) environmental impacts. Because tourism destinations each have their own culture, environment, customs and laws, the standards are designed to be adapted to local conditions and supplemented by additional criteria for the specific location and activity.
GSTC defines certification as a voluntary, third-party assessment, through an audit, of a tourism enterprise or destination for conformity to the GSTC Standards. GSTC does not conduct certification but rather accredits those bodies that do certify.

GSTC Accreditation is a designation of certification bodies who demonstrate their capability to issue certifications based on merit and neutrality. Being GSTC-Accredited means that the certification body conducts certification in accordance with processes compliant with international standards and best practices.

GSTC-Recognized Standards is a status GSTC designates to a set of standards that are equivalent to the GSTC Standards. This means that the GSTC has verified that the standard aligns with the GSTC Standards and that any additional clauses do not contradict GSTC Standards requirements. GSTC recognition does not ensure the certification process is reliable, only that the set of standards used to certify includes the minimum elements to ensure sustainability.

GSTC-Committed is a pledge that organizations can make declaring a commitment to fully implement the GSTC Standards into its policies and operations. Gaining GSTC-Committed status requires a review by GSTC of evidence confirming an organization has adopted the GSTC Standards with a clearly documented plan for implementation.
The GSTC Standard for Hotels are the same as for Tour Operators, both are identical to the GSTC Industry Standard, but the Performance Indicators vary between Hotels and Tour Operators.
Download: Hotel Standard and Performance Indicators (available in other languages here)
Download: GSTC Guide for Hotels and Accommodations on How to Become Certified
Visit California TIP:
Looking for guidance on how to start your hotel’s sustainability journey?
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC)’s Hotel Sustainability Basics are a great place to start. The Basics are a set of 12 actions that are fundamental to hotel sustainability and are intended as the first steps that can be followed by more ambitious pathways like the GSTC’s standards.
WTTC’s timeline calls for hotels to satisfy 8 of the 12 criteria in year 1, 9 of the 12 in year 2, and all criteria by year 3, with the option to advance to greater sustainability in year 4.
Learn more about the Hotel Sustainability Basics and access your free toolkit to get started here.
The GSTC Destination Standard (GSTC-D v2) includes performance indicators to provide guidance in measuring compliance with the standard. Application of the standards will help a destination to contribute towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Against each of the standards, one or more of the 17 SDGs is identified, to which it most closely relates.

Download: Destination Standard and Performance Indicators (available in other languages here)

Download: GSTC Guide for Destinations on How to Become Certified

Visit California TIP:

Looking for a resource to measure your destination’s performance against the GSTC Destination Standard?

GSTC Self-Assessment Tool for Destinations

GSTC offers a free self-assessment tool designed specifically for destinations seeking to measure and enhance their sustainable tourism practices. The tool offers a simple way for destinations to evaluate their progress, using a simple ‘yes/no’ or ‘in progress’ answer format to streamline the self-assessment process, making it accessible even for destinations with limited sustainability expertise.

It offers a snapshot of current performance, areas for improvement and a completion score (0-100%) to indicate low, moderate or high performance. Additionally, users can reassess their progress over time, aiming for continuous improvement.

You can learn more about the assessment tool here and create an account to access the platform here.

Destination Wayfinder

Developed by Miles Partnership and Destinations International, Destination Wayfinder is a set of standards recognized by GSTC as equivalent to the GSTC Destination Standard. Wayfinder’s paid destination framework tool gives DMOs the ability to see a full view of their current stewardship capabilities, allowing them to set measurable goals, track progress and integrate the GSTC Standards into both strategic planning and operational practices. Once an assessment is completed, Destination Wayfinder generates informed recommendations for how a destination can increase their scoring.

You can learn more and request a free demo of the Destination Wayfinder platform here.

Green Destinations

For destinations seeking formal recognition, and third party validation, of adherence to the GSTC Destination Standard, Green Destinations is a GSTC-accredited certification body for destinations. Its Green Destinations Standard (V2) is a GSTC-recognized set of criteria to measure, monitor and improve the sustainability policy and management of destinations.

Destinations that enroll in Green Destination’s paid certification program have access to an online assessment platform to measure their current sustainability performance, plan actions for improvements and monitor progress. A Green Destination’s secretariat is assigned to help coach destinations through the process.

You can learn more about the Green Destinations certification program for destinations here.