The GSTC Recognized Standards
No Official Standard Name
1 The Ecotourism Ireland Criteria Booklet

2 The European Ecotourism Labelling Standard EETLS-GRStandard Owner
Sustainable Travel Ireland (former EcotourismIreland)
PRISMA Ltd & hellenic Ecotourism Society nonprofit NGO
Responsible Tourism Institute (ITR BIOSPHERE)

3 Biosphere Hotels and TO standard
4 Biosphere Destination Standard

Biosphere Responsible Institute
EarthCheck Pty Limited (Company Standard)

5 Earthcheck Company Standard

SO's Country Standard version & dateIreland

6 EarthCheck Community Standard

GreeceSpainversion 3.0
19 July 2021

Spain

version 3.0
19 July 2021

Australiaversion 4.1
25 August 2020

Australia

version 3.0
November 2020

Australia

version 2.0
April 2020

EarthCheck Pty Limited (Evaluated Standard)
7 EarthCheck Evaluate Standard

Asian Ecotourism Standard for Accommodations (AESA) Former

8 name: Environmentally Sustainable Accommodations International Standard (ESAIS) Asian Ecotourism Network/AEN
9 TourCert Criteria Catalogue

TourCert (CSR Tourism)

10 Ecotourism Australia - ECO Certification

Ecotourism Australia Ltd

11 SUSTAINABLE TOURISM CERTIFICATION

Ecotourism Australia Ltd (Sustainable TourismCertification)

12 Malta Tourism Authority ECO Certification requirements

Malta Tourism Authority

13 Certificación de Sostenibilidad Turística

The Costa Rican Tourism Board

14 Sustainability Certification Program "Hoteles más Verdes"

Asociación de Hoteles de Turismo Argentina(AHT)

Thailand

NAAustralia

version: ECO V
May 2019

Australia

version 2.0
30 November, 2022

Malta

version 3.0 June 2019

Costa Rica

version 221 May 2020

Argentina

version 2June 2017

SERNATUR (Hotels)

Chile

16 The Green Globe Certification Standard - Hotels & Resorts

Green Certification Inc. dba Green GlobeUSA

17 Green Star Hotel Criteria

Egyptian Hotel Association

Egypt

18 Green Growth 2050 Global Standard
19 Global Ecosphere Retreats Standard

Green Growth 2050
Zeitz Foundation

Australia
Kenya

1 pageMonday, 21 May 2012

Thursday, 15 August 2019

Monday, 17 September 2012

Saturday, 20 July 2019

Wednesday, 19 September 2012

Thursday, 09 December 2021

Thursday, 02 October 2014

Thursday, 13 January 2022

Wednesday, 19 September 2012

Wednesday, 09 September 2020

Thursday, 05 March 2015

Wednesday, 16 December 2020

Monday, 30 January 2017

Saturday, 18 April 2020

Wednesday, 07 November 2012

Tuesday, 30 July 2019

Thursday, 21 February 2013

Thursday, 8 April 2021

Sunday, 03 March 2013

Saturday, 15 June 2019

Wednesday, 30 November 2022

Wednesday, 30 November 2022

Tuesday, 20 August 2013

Friday, 26 July 2019

Wednesday, 28 August 2013

Tuesday, 9 June 2020

Saturday, 28 December 2013

Tuesday, 19 May 2020

version 2.024 July 2019

Germany"Sustainable Tourism Distinction " system applicable to
15 Tourist Accommodation Services in Chile

Date of Latest Recognition

15 August 2019
2nd revised version
July 2019

EarthCheck Pty Limited

Date of Original Recognition

Thursday, 13 February 2014
Version 32020
version 1.8
Friday, 31 October 2014
updated on 27 November 2019
version 3.0 (2020)
Saturday, 13 December 2014
Revision # 4 26 March 2020Tuesday, 20 January 2015
version 4
6 February 2019
Wednesday, 15 April 2015
version
15 March 2019

Wednesday, 03 June 2020

Wednesday, 04 December 2019
Sunday, 05 April 2020
Thursday, 14 February 2019
Sunday, 31 March 2019

List of GSTC Recognized Standards_updated October 2023

The GSTC Recognized Standards
No Official Standard Name
20 PUG AUDIT Criteria and Indicators

HI-Q&S (Hostelling International Quality and Sustainability
21 Management System)
22 Green Key Eco-Rating
23 Green Destinations Standard
24 Green Tourism Active (GT-Active)
25 Green Key Hotel criteria and explanatory notes 2022-2025
26 Sustainable Tourism Destination Standard for Indonesia

Standard Owner

SO's Country Standard version & date

PUG audit (TOFTigers)

version 6i
United Kingdom11 May 2019

Hostelling Internationalversion 1
United KingdomJuly 2018

Hotel Association of Canada (Green Key Global)
Green Destinations
Green Tourism Active
Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE)
Ministry of Tourism of Republic of Indonesia

CanadaNetherlands
South Africa
DenmarkIndonesia

Date of Original Recognition

Date of Latest Recognition

Monday, 22 June 2015

Sunday, 19 May 2019

Thursday, 14 January 2016

Sunday, 16 June 2019

Tuesday, 16 February 2016

Sunday, 09 April 2023

Friday, 04 March 2016

Friday, 19 February 2021

Sunday, 13 March 2016

Tuesday, 14 May 2019

Wednesday, 23 March 2016

Monday, 04 February 2019

Monday, 15 August 2016

Monday, 15 August 2016

Friday, 26 August 2016

Friday, 26 August 2016

Thursday, 20 October 2016

Friday, 21 June 2019

Saturday, 07 January 2017

Monday, 10 June 2019

Monday, 14 August 2017

Monday, 25 October 2021

Tuesday, 13 February 2018

Tuesday, 13 February 2018

Saturday, 02 December 2017

Saturday, 02 December 2017

Friday, 13 April 2018

Tuesday, 14 September 2021

Sunday, 08 July 2018

Sunday, 08 July 2018

Tuesday, 17 April 2018

Tuesday, 8 March 2022

Saturday, 12 March 2022

Sunday, 12 March 2023

Thursday, 01 November 2018

Thursday, 01 November 2018

Friday, 26 April 2019

Friday, 26 April 2019

version 4.0
version 2.0
31 March 201914 April 2021
NASuwon City Sustainable City Standard (Not Korea Sustainable
27 City Tourism Destination Standard in the application)
28 Ecotourism Standard for Tourist Accommodation Facilities

Suwon Special City
Ecotourism Kenya

South Korea

NAKenyaversion 3March 2019
version 2.6
May 2019

29 Seychelles Travel SSTL

Tourism Department - Ministry of Tourism

Seychelles

30 The Mountain IDEAL Sustainable Destination StandardWalking Mountain Science Center - SustainableTravel International (Destination)version 2.0
United States 25 October 2021

31 Actively Green Standard

Walking Mountain Science Center - Sustainable
Travel International (H and TO)

Travelife Sustainability System for tour operators and travel
32 agencies
Sustainable Tourism Management Standard of DASTA
33 (MASCI, Thailand)
34 Community Based Tourism Development for Thailand
35 Sustainable Destination Norway, Standard 3.0

Travelife TO & TA
DASTA (Destiantion - ST Management)
DASTA (Destination - CBT)
Innovation Norway

36 Travelife Sustainability System for hotels

Travelife Ltd

37 Austrian Ecolabel for Tourism and leisure-time industry

The Austrian Federal Ministry of Sustainability
and Tourism (Österreichisches Umweltzeichen)

38 Mauritian Standard on Sustainable Tourism (MS 165:2019)

Mauritius Standards BureauUSA

version 2.1

Netherlands

version v
22 November 2017

ThailandThailandApril 2021
February 2019

version 3.0
Norway09 February 2022
version 3.0(includingAppendices)
United Kingdom9 March 2023
Austria

EL 200 version 7.0
4 October 2018

Mauritius

Third edition
1 April 2019

2 pageList of GSTC Recognized Standards_updated October 2023

The GSTC Recognized Standards
No Official Standard Name
TO-02 NEPCon Sustainable Tourism Standard for39 Accommodation
40 TO-03 NEPCon Sustainable Tourism Standard for TO

Adventure Green Alaska Summit Standard for
41 Accommodations
42 Adventure Green Alaska Summit Standard for TOs

43 GreenStep Sustainable Tourism Standard

Standard Owner
NEPCon (former RA) (Hotel)
NEPCon (former RA) (TO)
Alaska Travel Industry Association (Hotel)
Alaska Travel Industry Association (TourOperator)

GreenStep (Hotels and TO)

44 GreenStep Sustainable Tourism Destination Standard

GreenStep (Destination)

45 Japan Sustainable Tourism Standard for Destinations

Japan Tourism Agency, Ministry of Land,
Infraestructure, transport and Tourism

46 Sakura Quality an ESG Practice Standard
47 Sustainable Tourism Standard South Tyrol
48 GreenSign Certification Catalog

SOCOTEC Sustainability Management System Applicable for49 Hotels
50 Sustainable Berlin
51 ECOSTARS STANDARDS
52 Nature’s Best Sweden Standard
53 Green Hospitality Platinum Award Criteria

54 The Pacific Sustainable Tourism Destination Standard

Sustainability for Tourist Accommodation - Requirements(NCV 023:2021) Sustainability for Tour Operators 55 Requirements (NCV 024:2021)
Sustainability for Destinations - Requirements (NCV56 025:2022)

Sakura Quality Management Co., LDT
IDM Sudtirol - Alto Adige
InfraCert GmbHSOCOTEC
Berlin Tourimus & Kongress GmbH / Visit Berlin
ECOSTARS ECOLOGICAL HOTEL RATING, SL
Nature’s Best Sweden
Hospitality Solutions Consulting Ltd
Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO)

Cape Verde IGQP (H and TO)
Cape Verde IGQP (D)SO's Country Standard version & date
Guatemalaversion 25 June 2019

Alaskaversion 1.0
July 2019

Alaskaversion 1.0
July 2019

CanadaWednesday, 26 June 2019

Wednesday, 26 June 2019

Wednesday, 26 June 2019

Wednesday, 26 June 2019

Monday, 05 August 2019

Monday, 05 August 2019

Monday, 05 August 2019

Monday, 05 August 2019

Tuesday, 13 October 2020

Tuesday, 13 October 2020

Tuesday, 16 November 2021

Tuesday, 16 November 2021

Friday, 12 March 2021

Friday, 12 March 2021

Monday, 21 March 2022

Monday, 21 March 2022

Friday, 18 February 2022

Friday, 18 February 2022

Thursday, 19 May 2022

Thursday, 19 May 2022

Tuesday, 02 August 2022

Tuesday, 02 August 2022

Friday, 06 January 2023

Friday, 06 January 2023

Wednesday, 03 May 2023

Wednesday, 03 May 2023

Sunday, 30 April 2023

Sunday, 30 April 2023

Thursday, 04 May 2023

Thursday, 04 May 2023

Monday, 29 May 2023

Monday, 29 May 2023

Sunday, 4 June 2023

Sunday, 4 June 2023

Sunday, 4 June 2023

Sunday, 4 June 2023

version 2.0
version 1.1
21 October 2021

JapanMarch 2021

Japan

version 1
17 March 2022

Italy

Date of Latest Recognition

version 25 June 2019

GuatemalaCanadaDate of Original Recognition

23 December 2021

Germany

27 April 2022

Franceversion 1Germany

Version 1,4 January , 2023

Spainv3.0
27 March 2023

SwedenApril 13 2023

Irelandv13.8
May 2023

Fiji

15 May 2023

Cabo Verde
Cabo Verde

3 page29 December 2021 for TO andHO
19 April 2022

List of GSTC Recognized Standards_updated October 2023

The GSTC Recognized Standards
No Official Standard Name
57 Eco-check Standard
58 Miosotis Azores Standard

Standard Owner
Intertek CristalRegional Government of the Azores

QUALMARK SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS TOURISM (STB) CRITERIA
59 & KNOWLEDGE BASE
Qualmark New Zealand

60Ambassador Level of La Buena Huella’s standard set out in“ARC360.LA BUENA HUELLA. V.7. 18.09.2023.xlsx”

La Buena HuellaSO's Country Standard version & date
UKversion 03
June 2023

Portugalversion 01
June 2023

version 1.2
New Zealand July 2023
version 718 September 2023

Spain

4 pageDate of Original Recognition

Date of Latest Recognition

Monday, 12 June 2023

Monday, 12 June 2023

Sunday, 25 June 2023

Sunday, 25 June 2023

Saturday, 12 August, 2023

Saturday, 12 August, 2023

Sunday, 24 September, 2023

Sunday, 24 September, 2023

List of GSTC Recognized Standards_updated October 2023

The GSTC Recognized Standards
No Official Standard Name

Standard User

Linguistic Scope

Specifc Geographic Coverage

2 The European Ecotourism Labelling Standard EETLS-GR

Accommodations/tour operators/attractions &activity providers
EnglishAccommodations combined with ecotourism activities
in protected areas or other areas with ecotourism
potential in all areas of Greece
EnglishGreece3 Biosphere Hotels and TO standard

Accommodations; Hotels; Tour Operators

English, Spanish

Global4 Biosphere Destination Standard

Destinations in general

English, Spanish

Global

5 Earthcheck Company Standard

Accommodations; Hotels

EnglishGlobal6 EarthCheck Community Standard

Destinations in general

EnglishGlobal

7 EarthCheck Evaluate Standard

Accommodations; Hotels; Tour Operators

EnglishGlobalEnglishAsia Pacific

1 The Ecotourism Ireland Criteria Booklet

Asian Ecotourism Standard for Accommodations (AESA) Former ecolodges and ecoresorts or nature-based lodges in

8 name: Environmentally Sustainable Accommodations International Standard (ESAIS) Asia PacificRepublic and Northern Ireland

9 TourCert Criteria Catalogue

Accommodations, Hotels, Tour Operators; Travelagencies

EnglishEurope & Latin America & East Africa

10 Ecotourism Australia - ECO Certification

Accommodations; Cultural Sight; Hotels; TourOperators (ecotourism/nature-based operation)

EnglishAustralia and New Zealand

11 SUSTAINABLE TOURISM CERTIFICATION

Accommodations, Hotels; Tour Operators (urban,nonecotourism and non-nature based)
EnglishAustralia

12 Malta Tourism Authority ECO Certification requirements

Accommodations; Hotels

EnglishMalta

13 Certificación de Sostenibilidad Turística

Accommodations; Hotels, Tour Operators

EnglishCosta Rica

14 Sustainability Certification Program "Hoteles más Verdes"

Accommodations; Hotels

English, Spanish

Argentina

15 Tourist Accommodation Services in ChileAccommodations; Hotels

English, Spanish

Chile

16 The Green Globe Certification Standard - Hotels & Resorts

Hotels and Resorts

EnglishGlobal17 Green Star Hotel Criteria

Accommodations; Hotels

EnglishEgypt

18 Green Growth 2050 Global Standard

Accommodations; Hotels

EnglishGlobal (30 countries)

19 Global Ecosphere Retreats Standard

Accommodations; Hotels; tourism-related business

EnglishGlobal"Sustainable Tourism Distinction " system applicable to5 page

List of GSTC Recognized Standards_updated October 2023The GSTC Recognized Standards
No Official Standard Name

Standard User

Linguistic Scope

Specifc Geographic Coverage

20 PUG AUDIT Criteria and Indicators

Accommodations;Hotels

EnglishSouth Asia

HI-Q&S (Hostelling International Quality and Sustainability
21 Management System)

Hostels and Head Offices

EnglishGlobal22 Green Key Eco-Rating

Accommodations; Hotels

EnglishGlobal23 Green Destinations Standard

Municipalidad, regiones:protected areas, private
destinations

EnglishGlobal24 Green Tourism Active (GT-Active)

Accommodations; Hotels

EnglishSouth Africa

25 Green Key Hotel criteria and explanatory notes 2022-2025

Accommodation facilities and tour operators

EnglishGlobal

26 Sustainable Tourism Destination Standard for Indonesia

Destinations in general

EnglishIndonesia

27 City Tourism Destination Standard in the application)

Urban destination

English, KoreanSouth Korea

28 Ecotourism Standard for Tourist Accommodation Facilities

Accommodations; Hotels

EnglishKenya

29 Seychelles Travel SSTL

Accommodations

EnglishSeychelles

30 The Mountain IDEAL Sustainable Destination Standard

Resorts, rural, recreation and Gateway Communities
in USA.

EnglishVail, Colorado, United States

31 Actively Green Standard

Accommodations; Hotels; Tour Operators; Travelagencies

EnglishEagle County, Vail, Colorado, United States32 agencies

Tour Operators

EnglishGlobalSustainable Tourism Management Standard of DASTA
33 (MASCI, Thailand)

Cultural Sight; National Park; Protected Areas;
Destinations in general

EnglishThailand34 Community Based Tourism Development for Thailand

Community; Destinations in general

English, Thai

Thailand35 Sustainable Destination Norway, Standard 3.0

Destinations in general

English, Norwegian

Norway36 Travelife Sustainability System for hotels

Accommodations; Hotels

EnglishGlobal

37 Austrian Ecolabel for Tourism and leisure-time industry

Accommodations; Hotels

English, German

Austria

38 Mauritian Standard on Sustainable Tourism (MS 165:2019)

Accommodations, Hotels; Tour Operators

EnglishMauritius & Rodriguez

Suwon City Sustainable City Standard (Not Korea Sustainable

Travelife Sustainability System for tour operators and travel

6 pageList of GSTC Recognized Standards_updated October 2023

The GSTC Recognized Standards
No Official Standard Name

Standard User

Linguistic Scope

Specifc Geographic Coverage

39 Accommodation

Accommodations and Lodging Services of any type
(Hotels, Resorts, Lodges, etc)

EnglishGlobal40 TO-03 NEPCon Sustainable Tourism Standard for TO

Inbound Tour Operators and DMCs

EnglishGlobalAdventure Green Alaska Summit Standard for
41 Accommodations

Hotels, Inns, B&B, Lodges

EnglishAlaskaEnglishAlaskaEnglishCanada44 GreenStep Sustainable Tourism Destination Standard

Tours, activities, transportation, shore excursions
tourism operators including hotels, tour operators,
tourism facilities and sites (i.e. wineries, ski resorts,
suspension bridge)
Destination management and marketingorganizations (DMOs) and community tourism
associations that represent individual communities
and/or tourism regions

EnglishGlobal (currently only used in Canada)

45 Japan Sustainable Tourism Standard for Destinations

Destinations

English, JapaneseJapan

46 Sakura Quality an ESG Practice StandardHotels

English, JapaneseJapan

47 Sustainable Tourism Standard South Tyrol

Destinations

English, German

Autonomous Province of Bozen/Bolzano, Italy

48 GreenSign Certification Catalog

hotels and other lodging establishments

English, German

Germany, Europe, Adrica, Asia

SOCOTEC Sustainability Management System Applicable for
49 Hotels

HotelsEnglishGlobal

50 Sustainable Berlin

Hotels & Tour Operators

English, German

Berlin, Germany

51 ECOSTARS STANDARDS

Accommodations, Hotels

EnglishGlobal52 Nature’s Best Sweden Standard

Accommodations, Hotels; Tour Operators, otheractivities

EnglishSwedenTO-02 NEPCon Sustainable Tourism Standard for

42 Adventure Green Alaska Summit Standard for TOs

43 GreenStep Sustainable Tourism Standard

53 Green Hospitality Platinum Award Criteria

54 The Pacific Sustainable Tourism Destination Standard

Accommodations, Hotels
EnglishDestinations , Potentially the standard will be adopted
as the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Standard for all
SPTO member nations
EnglishIreland
Pacific Region
Up to 20 member nations of the Pacific Tourism
Organsisaton (SPTO)

Sustainability for Tourist Accommodation - Requirements(NCV 023:2021) Sustainability for Tour Operators 55 Requirements (NCV 024:2021)

Accommodations, Hotels; Tour Operators

EnglishCabo VerdeSustainability for Destinations - Requirements (NCV56 025:2022)

Destination

EnglishCabo Verde7 page

List of GSTC Recognized Standards_updated October 2023

The GSTC Recognized Standards
No Official Standard Name

Standard User

Linguistic Scope

Specifc Geographic Coverage

57 Eco-check Standard

Accommodations, Hotels

EnglishGlobal, more than 100 countries

58 Miosotis Azores Standard

Accommodations, Hotels; Tour Operators

English, Portuguese

Autonomous Region of the Azores, Portugal

English

New ZealandEnglish, Spanish

Europe and all over Americas

QUALMARK SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS TOURISM (STB) CRITERIA
59 & KNOWLEDGE BASE
Accommodation, Tour Operators, Activities

60

Ambassador Level of La Buena Huella’s standard set out in“ARC360.LA BUENA HUELLA. V.7. 18.09.2023.xlsx”

Tourist accommodations

8 pageList of GSTC Recognized Standards_updated October 2023