Global Sustainable Tourism Council publishes new Attractions Criteria

November 25, 2024

Karen Sweaney

Aiming to help attractions businesses - such as theme parks, museums, national parks and waterparks - in implementing sustainable practices in response to the growing focus on sustainability, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) has published its GSTC Attraction Criteria.

Developed with the support of the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and previewed at the GSTC2024 Singapore Global Conference earlier this month (13th to 16th November), the new criteria are intended to serve as the global standards for sustainability in tourism and to be used for education and awareness-raising; policy-making for businesses, organisations and government agencies; measurement and evaluation; and as a basis for certification.

They are the result of a worldwide effort to develop a common language about sustainability in tourism and are arranged in four pillars: (1) Sustainable management; (2) Socioeconomic impacts; (3) Cultural impacts; and (4) Environmental impacts.

The GSTC Attraction Criteria is the fourth GSTC Criteria set, in addition to the GSTC Industry Criteria (for hotels and tour operators), the GSTC Destination Criteria, and the GSTC MICE Criteria.

Each of the Criteria sets are publicly available for non-commercial use.

GSTC Attraction Criteria
In developing the new criteria, GSTC set out to establish clear guidelines to promote sustainable practices across the attractions sector while also meeting the diverse needs of various attractions, ranging from natural wonders to cultural landmarks. The criteria serve as the minimum that all attractions should achieve to approach social, environmental, cultural, and economic sustainability. By embracing the new GSTC Attraction Criteria, attractions can elevate visitor experiences while safeguarding their environmental and cultural heritage for future generations.

Explaining that the GSTC Attraction Criteria aims to serve as the global sustainability standards for attraction businesses and provide a common understanding of sustainable practices in the attraction industry worldwide, GSTC Chief Executive, Randy Durband stated “(this is) a significant step forward as we introduce the GSTC Attractions Criteria, the culmination of 14 months of collaboration and dedication.

“We deeply appreciate the contributions of the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) who made this possible.

“Together, let’s embrace this opportunity to lead the attractions sector towards a more sustainable path.”

The GSTC Attraction Criteria has set out to:

Help define sustainability in a holistic manner
Raise awareness of the breadth and nature of sustainability
Serve as the basis for certification for sustainability
Offer both public and private sectors a starting point by providing basic guidelines for attractions businesses to become more sustainable, including guidance for identifying more sustainable suppliers and service providers
Help consumers identify sustainable attractions/ businesses
Serve as a common denominator for recognising sustainable attractions, helping businesses in choosing sustainable suppliers and partners
Serve as basic guidelines for education and training on sustainable attraction practices
Demonstrate leadership that inspires others to act

Development of GSTC Attraction Criteria
The GSTC Attraction Criteria have been built on decades of prior work and experience around the world and take into account the numerous guidelines and standards for sustainable tourism from every continent. During the development process, criteria were widely consulted throughout the globe, in both developed and developing countries. They reflect our goal of attaining a global consensus on sustainable tourism.

The Criteria have been developed and revised by following the GSTC Standard-setting Manual v3.0 while striving to adhere to the Code of Good Practice for Sustainability Systems by the ISEAL Alliance, the body recognized to provide guidance on international norms for developing sustainability standards in all sectors. More detailed information about the process development is available here and in the GSTC Attraction Criteria Development Terms of Reference (TOR) document.

GSTC Criteria development process
The Attraction Criteria Development Advisory Group included the following organisations: the Association of Singapore Attractions, the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA), the Singapore Tourism Board, The Royal Djurgården Society and the US National Park Service.

Click here to see the new GSTC Attraction Criteria

Lower image shows the GSTC Attraction Criteria development process.

About the author

Karen Sweaney

Co-founder and Editor, Australasian Leisure Management

Artist, geoscientist and specialist writer on the leisure industry, Karen Sweaney is Editor and co-founder of Australasian Leisure Management.

Based in Sydney, Australia, her specific areas of interest include the arts, entertainment, the environment, fitness, tourism and wellness.

She has degrees in Fine Arts from the University of Sydney and Geological Oceanography from UNSW.

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