GSTC
Certification
for touristic
attractions

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is the international organization leading the promotion of sustainable tourism.

Founded in 2007 by UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) and UNWTO (World Tourism Organization), the GSTC defines global sustainability standards in tourism and ensures their implementation through a globally recognized certification system.

The GSTC Attractions certification is an international scheme developed by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and it aims to define sustainability criteria applicable to tourist attractions, such as museums, natural parks, cultural sites, natural attractions, and recreational facilities open to the public.

The GSTC standard for attractions is globally recognized and is based on four fundamental principles that guide sustainable tourism:

• Sustainable Management (Governance): adoption of effective and responsible governance;

• Socio-economic Sustainability: creating benefits for the local community and reducing negative impacts;

• Cultural Sustainability: enhancement and protection of cultural heritage;

• Environmental Sustainability: protecting the environment and reducing impacts on the territory.

The GSTC Attractions certification aims to ensure that tourist attractions operate in compliance with internationally recognized sustainability criteria, applicable to different geographical, cultural, and operational contexts.

In particular, the scheme is designed to:

• provide a global framework for the sustainable management of tourist attractions;

• ensure that adopted practices are consistent with the environmental, social, and economic principles defined by the GSTC;

• promote the protection of natural, cultural, and social heritage by reducing the negative impacts of tourism activities;

• strengthen the credibility and transparency of attractions towards visitors, public authorities, tourism operators, and other stakeholders;

• promote a structured and verifiable approach to sustainability, based on clear, comparable, and internationally recognized criteria.

Please note

The GSTC Attractions certification service is currently still in the accreditation phase.

At this stage, certification bodies are not yet authorized to conduct verification audits or issue certifications under the GSTC Attractions scheme.

However, the GSTC standards already represent a clearly defined international reference that attractions can consult to become familiar with sustainability requirements and begin a path toward alignment with the established criteria. This allows organizations to prepare in a structured and informed manner, in view of the future availability of accreditation and the related certification processes.

For any further information or clarification on the GSTC Attractions Standard for your preparation ahead of certification and on the status of Vireo's accreditation process, please feel free to contact us.