The conference in Antalya will bring together international and domestic tourism stakeholders
That sustainable tourism is here to stay as the key focus of global travel and tourism industry becomes evident with the growing number of conferences and events where sustainability is the core theme, if not the theme. Days after Arabian Travel Market 2023, which has sustainability as its core theme, gets over in Dubai on May 4, the Global Sustainable Tourism Conference (GSTC2023) gets underway in the luxury resort of Antalya in Turkish Riviera on May 9.
GSTC 2023 is organised by Global Sustainable Tourism Council, an international body that establishes and manages global sustainable standards, known as the GSTC Criteria. According to a press statement by GSTC, the conference in Antalya will bring together international and domestic tourism stakeholders involved in the development and promotion of sustainable travel and tourism. These include governments, tourism promotion boards, hotels, tour operators, corporates, OTAs, academia, development agencies, NGOs and consultants from across the world.
One of the focus areas for the GSTC2023 is sustainable tourism in coastal and rural areas. In the statement, the Council says that as part of its Destination Stewardship programme, the conference will have dedicated sessions like Port Destinations and Sustainability, Sustainable Coastal Destinations and Sustainable Rural Tourism.
In terms of sustainable hospitality, the conference will discuss issues like Hotel digitalisation solutions and Sustainability in Resorts as well as Sustainable MICE.
The statement adds that the criteria set by Global Sustainable Tourism Council include Destination Criteria which are aimed public policy-makers and destination managers, while the Industry Criteria is meant for hotels and tour operators. GSTC says that these criteria have been set up as a result of a worldwide effort to develop a common language about sustainability in tourism. It adds that since tourism destinations each have their own culture, environment, customs, and laws, the criteria are designed to be adapted to local conditions and supplemented by additional criteria for the specific location and activity.
The GSTC Criteria form the foundation for GSTC’s role in providing assurance for impartiality and competence of Certification Programmes that certify hotels or accommodations, tour operators, and destinations as having sustainable policies and practices in place.
The GSTC is an independent and neutral organisation, registered in the United States, that represents a diverse and global membership, including national and provincial governments, leading travel companies, hotels, tour operators, NGO’s, individuals and communities.
