User talk:Rjwilmsi/Archives/2015/December

creation of an article for the Global Sustainable Tourism Council
Dear Rjwilmsi,

I see that you have made several contributions to the article on sustainable tourism. I am the CEO of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council and wish to finally create a Wikipedia article on our organization. I note the rules that members of an organization should not create new articles.

Would you kindly create an article for GSTC?

If you agree, I offer the following content as a starting point, all of which essentially matches content on our website www.gstcouncil.org We would be happy to add the links after you initiate the article.

Please advise whether you are willing to take accept this request. Many thanks, Randy Durband, CEO of the GSTC

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is a non-profit organization that establishes and manages baseline standards for sustainability in travel and tourism globally, for industry and government. It’s role as such is recognized by the UN system (see History below) and experts in sustainable tourism throughout the world.

Currently, the GSTC has two sets of standards, known collectively as the GSTC Criteria and individually as the GSTC Destination Criteria (GSTC-D) and the GSTC Hotel & Tour Operator Criteria (GSTC-H&TOv2).

Like other standards, the GSTC Criteria can be used for education and training, policy-making, as regulatory guidelines, for measuring and monitoring processes, and as a basis for certification.

The GSTC operates an accreditation system, known as the GSTC Integrity Program, through which standards for sustainable travel and tourism can obtain marks relating to its adherence to the GSTC Criteria and to qualitative standards.

Organizational aims

The primary aim is increasing sustainable tourism knowledge and practices among private and public stakeholders. These aims are achieved through a set of objectives: developing international standards, making and improving sustainability in destinations, promoting market access, increasing knowledge and best practices and helping to verify sustainability standards. The GSTC defines sustainable tourism broadly, reflected in the four sections of the GSTC Criteria: environmental impacts, social responsibility, economic and cultural vitality of the communities impacted by tourism, and sustainability management.

History

In 2008 the Partnership for the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria released the Criteria for Hotels & Tour Operators. In 2010 that organization and the Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council merged to create the existing Global Sustainable Tourism Council. Founding members included the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the UN Environmental Program (UNEP), the Rainforest Alliance, and the UN Foundation.

Activities

GSTC Criteria The Criteria developed as a response from the tourism industry to the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals and launched at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in 2008. The GSTC Criteria serve the purpose of a baseline in the tourism and travel industry in terms of sustainability. The baseline, or the criteria, were established upon global research across developing and developed countries and follow the standards setting code of the ISEAL Alliance along with the ISO codes of conduct. They focus on the sustainable management, socio-economic impacts, cultural impacts, environmental impacts (i.e. pollution reduction, biodiversity and landscape conservation and consumption of resources).They act as the minimum requirements that should be followed by tourism service providers, government and destinations and are meant to be further adapted to local specificities.

GSTS Criteria for Hotel & Tour Operators The second version of the GSTC Criteria, available since 2012, developed upon further collaboration of various stakeholders, individuals and tourism organizations. The criteria is aimed at hotel and tour operators but broadly adaptable by the entire tourism industry. Four main themes of the Criteria are effective sustainability planning, maximizing social and economic benefits to the local community, reducing negative impacts to the environment and enhancing cultural heritage. Full list of the GSTC Criteria.

GSTC Criteria for Destinations The GSTC Criteria for Destinations focus on performance indicators, these were developed based on previously established and recognized criteria, such as UNWTO indicators, GSTC Hotel & Tour Operator Criteria and other widely accepted principles and indicators. Through worldwide collaboration the Criteria reflect various geo-political and cultural contexts from tourism, but also other relevant sectors. Selection of Criteria was field-tested around the world. Expected example of uses of the GSTC Criteria for Destinations include used as basic guidelines for destinations to become more sustainable, help consumers identify truly sustainable destinations and inform public, help other organisations (non-governmental and governmental, private) to establish sustainable tourism requirements, and serve as guidelines for education and training purposes. These criteria are world’s most widely accepted practices for sustainable tourism in destinations. Full list of the GSTC Criteria.

GSTC Programs Destination Program - designed for destinations interested in sustainable tourism practices, which aims to act as capacity building step in applying GSTC Criteria and requirements for competence, transparency and impartiality.

Sustainability Training Program - established for professionals participating in travel and tourism to gain a thorough understanding of the broad range of sustainability issues. Participants are anyone engaged in travel and tourism; including the private sector, public sector, NGO’s, academia, etc.

Integrity Program - allows existing sustainable tourism standards and certification programs to apply for GSTC’s marks on their standards and methods. Global experts within the GSTC Secretariat and independent Accreditation Panel review those programs and standards and ensure they meet or exceed the GSTC Criteria, the industry baseline, upon which the GSTC Recognition, Approval or Accreditation marks may be subsequently awarded.

Mislilac21 (talk) 19:09, 12 December 2015 (UTC)Mislilac21

I agree
I came here to leave you a message related to your recent editing. I certainly don't consider adding doi's to references a minor edit it all. What you are doing is significantly improving the encyclopedia. I want to personally thank you for that if you want to follow my edits, please feel free to do so. The Very Best of Regards, Barbara (WVS) (talk) 11:21, 19 December 2015 (UTC)

Season's Greetings
To You and Yours! FWiW Bzuk (talk) 13:51, 20 December 2015 (UTC)

Season's Greetings!
Happy Holidays text.png Hello Rjwilmsi: Enjoy the holiday season and upcoming winter solstice, and thanks for your work to maintain, improve and expand Wikipedia. Cheers, North America1000 22:08, 20 December 2015 (UTC)


 * Use {{subst:Season's Greetings}} to send this message

Reference errors on 22 December
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