Overview

Sustainable Tourism Online Course for Industry Professionals

The GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training Program (STTP) provides the knowledge and tools needed to help improve sustainability practices in travel and tourism. The training covers the GSTC Criteria, the global baseline standards for sustainability in travel and tourism, and provides best practices for businesses and destinations.

Delivered as a 4-week-long facilitated and interactive training class, the sustainable tourism online course offers a convenient way to improve your sustainability skills in a flexible online learning environment, while at the same time learning alongside GSTC experts and fellow sustainable tourism practitioners.

The course will help you achieve tangible actions that fulfill the globally recognized standard of sustainability best practices.

GSTC Professional Certificate in Sustainable Tourism

By completing this 4-week online course, you will meet the training requirement towards earning the GSTC Professional Certificate in Sustainable Tourism.

Once you complete the course, you will have have the option to take the GSTC STTP Exam. The exam takes place online. If you pass the exam, you will receive a Professional Certificate in Sustainable Tourism by the GSTC.

The certificate demonstrates your knowledge of sustainable tourism standards and practices.

>> Learn more about STTP & GSTC Professional Certificate in Sustainable Tourism

Schedule

This course if offered at the dates listed below. For questions and registration support, please feel free to email us at [email protected].

Dates
Length
Type
Format
Language
Price
Register
Course ID: ST-2401-EN
Length:
4 Weeks
Type:Online
Format:
Facilitated
Language:
English
Price:495,00 €

The Sustainable Tourism Training by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) offers practical insights to help improve sustainability practices, and an opportunity to earn Certificate in Sustainable Tourism.

Course ID: ST-2402-EN
Length:
4 Weeks
Type:Online
Format:
Facilitated
Language:
English
Price:495,00 €

The Sustainable Tourism Training by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) offers practical insights to help improve sustainability practices, and an opportunity to earn Certificate in Sustainable Tourism.

Course ID: ST-2403-EN
Length:
4 Weeks
Type:Online
Format:
Facilitated
Language:
English
Price:495,00 €

The Sustainable Tourism Training by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) offers practical insights to help improve sustainability practices, and an opportunity to earn Certificate in Sustainable Tourism.

Course ID: ST-2405-EN
Length:
4 Weeks
Type:Online
Format:
Facilitated
Trainers and Contributors:
Language:
English
Price:495,00 €

The Sustainable Tourism Training by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) offers practical insights to help improve sustainability practices, and an opportunity to earn Certificate in Sustainable Tourism.

Course ID: ST-2406-EN
Length:
4 Weeks
Type:Online
Format:
Facilitated
Trainers and Contributors:
Language:
English
Price:495,00 €

The Sustainable Tourism Training by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) offers practical insights to help improve sustainability practices, and an opportunity to earn Certificate in Sustainable Tourism.

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Syllabus

Course Topics and Objectives

The GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training covers both global and regional perspectives, and offers practical guidance through best practice cases and real-life lessons to help you achieve tangible sustainability performance goals. The training curriculum includes global trends and issues in sustainable tourism, sustainability best practices by businesses and destinations, and lessons on utilizing the GSTC Criteria as a tourism development and management tool.

You will:

  • Gain an in-depth understanding of sustainable tourism standards and the roles of accreditation and certification bodies in the global tourism industry.
  • Be able to make informed decisions on how to implement sustainability practices for your company or destination, utilizing quality sustainable tourism standards as guiding principles.
  • Learn how to build and implement viable and actionable sustainable tourism plans for your organization, including effective strategies for sustainability management, partnerships, engagement and marketing.

Course Methodology

The GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training online classes are offered quarterly, and delivered in the 4-Week Course format, which combines the convenience of online, on-demand lessons and the benefits of interactive people-focused learning. The class follows a weekly schedule (one module per week), and includes:

  • Video lessons and readings that can be accessed at your convenience;
  • Hands-on activities to apply your knowledge to your specific real-life, on-the-job practices; and
  • Live and interactive components to enhance learning results through sharing ideas and collaborating with each other.

>> Learn more about the 4-Week Course format and features

The first module provides an introduction to the GSTC Criteria, the definition and principles of sustainable tourism, and the GSTC's roles in the global tourism industry, and discusses best practices in sustainable tourism management approaches (GSTC Criteria Section A).

Learning Goals:

  • Understand the roles of the GSTC and the GSTC Criteria.
  • Learn about and discuss relevant sustainability issues and tourism trends.
  • Become familiar with sustainability management principles and discuss best practices.

The goal of the second week is both to dive deeper into the GSTC Criteria and to discuss practical steps to applying the Criteria in the real-world context, focused on understanding the socioeconomic impacts of tourism activities, and on effective strategies for reducing negative impacts (GSTC Criteria Section B).

Learning Goals:

  • Understand issues and challenges related to the socioeconomic impacts of tourism.
  • Learn about sustainability practices that effectively address the socioeconomic impacts of tourism.
  • Discuss practical application of the GSTC Industry Criteria through a business case study.

Continuing on with lessons and expert presentations on the GSTC Criteria, this week focuses on how tourism businesses and destinations can minimize negative impacts, maximize benefits to local communities and protect cultural heritage through sustainable tourism (GSTC Criteria Section C).

Learning Goals:

  • Understand issues and challenges related to the impact of tourism on local cultural heritage.
  • Learn about best practices on reducing negative impacts of tourism activities on local cultural heritage.
  • Discuss how to maximize tourism's benefits for communities, visitors and local cultures through sustainability practices.

In the fourth and last module of the course, key strategies for reducing tourism's environmental footprint are presented, and practical action steps in implementing sustainable resource management and conservation practices are discussed (GSTC Criteria Section D).

Learning Goals:

  • Understand issues and challenges related to the environmental impacts of tourism.
  • Learn about best practices on reducing footprint and positively contributing to conservation.
  • Discuss how to achieve optimal results for the local environment, while supporting business growth.

About the GSTC: Global Authority on Sustainable Tourism

The GSTC is an independent and neutral organization, legally registered in the USA as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that represents a diverse and global membership, including NGO’s, national and provincial governments, leading travel companies, hotels, tour operators, individuals and communities – all striving to achieve best practices in sustainable tourism. 

As the global expert in standards for sustainable tourism, the GSTC pursues the goals of:

  • Promoting sustainable tourism knowledge and practices;
  • Facilitating the adoption of universal sustainable tourism principles; and
  • Building demand for sustainable travel.

At the core of this work is the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria, the guiding principles and minimum requirements that any tourism business or destination should aspire to reach in order to protect and sustain the world’s natural and cultural resources, while ensuring tourism meets its potential as a tool for conservation and poverty alleviation. The GSTC was founded in 2007 by the Rainforest Alliance, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Foundation, and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), among others.

Johanna Meissner
Questions? We Are Here To Help
Email Johanna Meissner with your questions or to schedule a call.

Facilitators and Contributors

Ayako Ezaki

Director of Training Strategy and Development
at
TrainingAid

Dr. David Ermen

Managing Director
at
Destination Capacity

Randy Durband

Chief Executive Officer
at
Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)

Antje Martins

Researcher
at
University of Queensland Business School

Nia Klatte

Responsible Tourism Consultant, ESG & Sustainability Specialist

Ferdinand Weps

Head of Operations and Learning Solutions
at
TrainingAid

Robert Kostecki

Global Luxury & Lifestyle Learning Manager
at
IHG Hotels & Resorts

Liz Tuck

Product & Sustainability Team Manager
at
World Challenge

Kanika Jhunjhnuwala

Executive Director, Sustainability and Environment
at
HIND Management

Frequently asked questions

As with any other online and offline professional training program, it’s entirely up to you to invest as much or as little effort as you would like into the STTP training class. On average, we recommend that you set aside 3-5 hours per week for: – Reviewing video lessons and reading materials; – Attending live presentations (or reviewing video recording); and – Participating in discussion forums and group activities. Other than the scheduled live (webinar-style) presentations, you can choose your own pace – for example, you can spend half an hour every day or a few hours each weekend, depending on what works best for your schedule. You are, however, expected to follow the weekly course flow (one module per week) in order to make the most of your learning experience, and to complete the course within the scheduled 4-week period.
To complete the course, you need to have all units and knowledge checks marked complete. You can mark each course unit complete by clicking on the little checkbox in the top right corner. You can move to the next unit without completing one, and come back later to complete the unit. This will be a useful way for you to remember which units you’ve completed, and which ones you didn’t, or wanted to revisit because you weren’t sure if you understood everything properly. Knowledge checks are short quizzes at the end of each module, designed as exercises to help you re-visit key learning points. Knowledge check quizzes are not scored, and you get an unlimited number of tries at each question. Once you complete a course, you can download your copy of the Certificate of Completion (available in PDF format) from the course dashboard.
Both face-to-face and online GSTC Sustainable Tourism courses are led by expert GSTC trainers, and cover the training curriculum developed by the GSTC, using the GSTC Criteria as the framework. In addition, both face-to-face and online classes satisfy the training requirement towards earning the GSTC Professional Certificate in Sustainable Tourism. In these ways, the two are equivalent to each other in terms of content. There are, however, key differences in terms of the learning experience. Face-to-face classes are 3-day-long intensive training offered in a classroom setting, allowing for face-to-face interaction with the trainer and with fellow training participants. Online classes are offered over the course of four weeks with weekly lessons and activities. See more information on the 4-week online course format here.
Yes, current GSTC members can register at a discounted Member rate for all STTP training classes (onsite and online). In addition, we offer a limited number of need-based discounts to support those who are unable to pay the full price. You can find eligibility and application details linked from the online registration form for each class.
Yes, you can sign up multiple people at the same time when registering online. Select the number of people you would like register, and you can enter contact details for each participant on the form. We also offer a discount for each group purchase of more than 5 seats. If you would like to sign up as a group of 5 and more, for any of the upcoming onsite or online classes of the STTP, please contact us at training [at] gstcouncil.org for more details.
You can receive a refund on your registration payment, minus the administrative fee, until the following cancelation deadline: – US$75 admin fee for an onsite class, and you can receive a refund until 2 weeks prior to the training start date. – US$50 admin fee for for an online class, and you can receive a refund until 7 days prior to the training start date. No refund is available for cancellation after the stated cancelation deadline. However, you can transfer your registration to another participant any time before the training start date.
Usually, registration for STTP training classes (both onsite and online) is open until the class start date. However, each class has a limited number of seats available, which are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration will be closed when all available seats are filled, so we recommend signing up early to secure your spot.