An Evaluation of GSTC Destination Criteria & Their Presence in the Industry

Abstract

Certification schemes are emerging for sustainable destination tourism, or ecotourism within an entire region. Ensuring that these schemes have standards, criteria and indicators that promote economic, environmental and social success within the region of interest is a challenge, as most certification programs are new and lack global presence and credibility. In this study, I evaluated the apparent effectiveness of five separate programs: the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), QualityCoast, BioSphere, Green Globe & Costa Rica’s Blue Flag. Using the evaluation criteria of each program, I determined the value each placed on different aspects of sustainable destination tourism, and compared this to expert suggestions on what constitutes triple bottom line success. Results provide recommendations on the programs with the most potential to promote economic, environmental and social welfare, as well as a separate evaluation of the role that a single program, GSTC, can play in the industry, both at present and in the long-term.