Sustainable Travel Ireland Adopts the GSTC Industry Criteria

Sustainable Travel Ireland has formally adopted the GSTC Industry Criteria to be used in Ireland by accommodations and tour operators. Sustainable Travel Ireland, formerly Ecotourism Ireland, is Ireland’s leading and longest-running body for the promotion of sustainable and responsible tourism, training and certifying businesses for over 10 years. Founded in 2009, Ecotourism Ireland set out to develop ecotourism in Ireland, and to highlight the best of what the country had to offer whilst ensuring its heritage and environment were preserved for this and future generations. Today, Sustainable Travel Ireland has the same mission but broader, aiming to drive the development of a new, sustainable model for ALL tourism in Ireland.

“We commend Sustainable Travel Ireland for appreciating the value of conforming to international norms for sustainability in their national tourism development strategy” says Randy Durband,GSTC CEO.

“There has never been a more significant need for leadership in sustainability the world over. Businesses need a standard that they can trust and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council sets those standards for tourism. It has always been important to have our standards recognised by the GSTC and we are delighted to adopt the industry criteria as we diversify and offer certification to all types of sustainable tourism businesses in Ireland and Northern Ireland.” says Rob Rankin, CEO Sustainable Travel Ireland.

Currently, 11 destination standards, 30 hotel standards, and 30 tour operator standards have achieved GSTC-Recognized status. The status offers the market a proof that these standards adhere to international norms GSTC Recognition does not ensure that a certification process is reliable, only that the set of standards used to certify are equivalent to the GSTC Criteria. GSTC-Recognized standard owners are encouraged to complete the Accreditation process, which assures that the certification process used to apply the standard meets international best practice, transparent, and rigor.

GSTC-Recognized standard owners are encouraged to complete the Accreditation process which assures that the certification process used to apply the standard meets international best practice, transparent, and rigor. Learn more about GSTC Accreditation.

About the GSTC
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) establishes and manages global sustainable tourism standards with the aim of increasing sustainable tourism knowledge and practices among public and private stakeholders. The GSTC is an independent and neutral USA-registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization that establishes and manages global baseline standards for sustainability in travel and tourism. The standards are two sets of GSTC Criteria: Destination Criteria and Industry Criteria, the minimum requirements for tourism businesses and destinations to pursue in order to protect and sustain the world’s natural and cultural resources, along with conservation and poverty alleviation. The GSTC represents a diverse and global membership, including UN agencies, leading travel companies, hotels, country tourism boards, tour operators, individuals and communities – all strive to achieve best practices in sustainable tourism.

About Sustainable Travel Ireland
Sustainable Travel Ireland, formerly Ecotourism Ireland, is Ireland’s leading and longest-running body for the promotion of sustainable and responsible tourism, training and certifying businesses for over 10 years. Founded in 2009, Ecotourism Ireland set out to develop ecotourism in Ireland, and to highlight the best of what the country had to offer whilst ensuring its heritage and environment were preserved for this and future generations. Today, Sustainable Travel Ireland has the same mission but broader, aiming to drive the development of a new, sustainable model for ALL tourism in Ireland.