Recently, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) official website information shows that WTTC has partnered with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (Global Sustainable Tourism Council, WTTC). GSTC) launched a new collaboration to create a structured framework for sustainable development in the hospitality industry, resulting in GSTC certification. The collaboration supports the current WTTC Hospitality Sustainability Benchmark (HSB) and will also prepare sustainable hotels for the progressive attainment of GSTC certification. The HSB was officially launched in April 2022 by WTTC in conjunction with the world's leading hotel groups and industry associations for a period of three years, covering 12 actions that are critical to hotel sustainability.

Source: network

Today, sustainability is key, and the collaboration between WTTC and GSTC sends a message to the market about consistency and collaborative development in the travel and tourism industry. The three-stage framework for hotel sustainability will enable a combination of the WTTC Hotel Sustainability Benchmark certification and the GSTC certification to support hotels in achieving comprehensive sustainability.

WTTC Chairman and CEO Julia Simpson said the partnership with the GSTC reinforces its commitment to leading the industry towards a more sustainable future. The WTTC must work with key global players such as the GSTC to drive change, set benchmarks and encourage other industries to learn. With members all over the world, the GSTC's rigorous certification standards not only enhance the initiative of its members, but also ensure that the global hospitality industry moves towards a unified vision of sustainability.

Randy Durband, CEO of the GSTC, added that the WTTC Hotel Sustainability Benchmark is a well-designed entry-level program through which hotels of any size and type can embark on their journey to sustainable practices. Certification issued by a GSTC-accredited certification body is widely recognized as the gold standard for sustainable hotel certification, with the highest level of assurance available. The combination of WTTC and GSTC provides a clear direction for the hospitality industry to begin and continue to improve. Each stage must be a continuous progress and breakthrough, rather than reaching the standard after staying in the same place.

The WTTC Hospitality Sustainability Benchmark launched its certification program in the first half of this year, and the next phase of its collaboration with the GSTC, scheduled to begin in 2024, will provide an important foundation between the WTTC Hospitality Sustainability Benchmark and the GSTC's rigorous certification, ensuring that the hospitality industry moves gradually and fully towards sustainability.