Global Sustainable Tourism Council

GSTC Accreditation:

GSTC’s attestation of certification bodies competence to conduct

GSTC Certification

GSTC Accreditation Service

GSTC Accreditation is a mark that GSTC places on the certification bodies that opt for the GSTC Certification independent and impartial process to ensure they certify businesses, such as hotels, tour operators, MICE, attractions, or destinations, competently and unbiasedly.

Being “GSTC-accredited” means that the certification body conducts certification in accordance with processes compliant with international standards and best practices in addition to GSTC requirements. It stands as the most dependable means to ensure confidence and credibility in sustainable tourism certification.

Certification vs Accreditation

Certification is defined as a voluntary, third-party assessment, through an audit, of a tourism enterprise or destination for conformity to a standard. GSTC Accreditation Service does not conduct certification. That is the job of certification bodies worldwide.

Accreditation is the formal attestation, granted by GSTC Accreditation Service, that a certification body is competent to perform specific conformity assessment tasks. It ensures certification bodies are reliable, impartial, and capable of certifying against GSTC standards and procedures.