Online facilitated training course on the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria

Published on January 12, 2018

- To engage a wide range of tourism industry stakeholders in learning and networking opportunities through a facilitated online course. The online course offers a flexible learning environment ideal for busy professionals, while helping make more accessible valuable opportunities to learn from international experts and to connect with like-minded fellow sustainable tourism practitioners from around the world. - To increase the awareness and knowledge of the GSTC Criteria. Using the GSTC Criteria, the baseline standard for sustainability in travel and tourism, the training curriculum covers each section of the GSTC Criteria in detail (sustainability management, socioeconomic impacts and local community benefits, cultural heritage protection and promotion, and environmental conservation and resource management), by providing best practice guidelines supported by local, regional and international case studies. - To help tourism industry professionals improve their sustainability practices. To support this goal, the online courses include video lessons on the GSTC Criteria by GSTC trainers, additional resources and reading materials to help reinforce the knowledge of key issues and solutions (e.g. sustainable destination management, effective resource management, reducing GHG emissions), discussion forums, weekly live webinars presenting industry case studies, and group exercises.

The online training courses have been well received by the participants. In addition to the knowledge of our trainers and guest expert presenters, many participants commented on the added value of being able to learn along side a diverse group of industry professionals from around the world. The interactive course components (e.g. exchanging ideas and sharing examples through discussion forums; learning from guest expert presenters through live webinars, and working with fellow classmates on group exercises) were the most positively received aspect of the training program. Based on the feedback and recommendations we've received from participants, we are working on developing additional courses that would be "advanced" options for those who have already completed the GSTC course or those who are already experienced in the field.