Hotel Sustainability at the Forefront: Insights from the GSTC Global Conference

During the GSTC Global Conference in Stockholm, Sweden, HNtv INSIDERS caught up with Randy Durband, CEO of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), and Dr. Willy Legrand, Professor at the IU International University of Applied Sciences in Germany. The event aims to unite global and local tourism professionals engaged in advancing and advocating for sustainable travel and tourism.

During the GSTC Global Conference in Stockholm, Sweden, HNtv INSIDERS caught up with Randy Durband, CEO of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), and Dr. Willy Legrand, Professor at the IU International University of Applied Sciences in Germany. The event aims to unite global and local tourism professionals engaged in advancing and advocating for sustainable travel and tourism.

During their discussion, Durband and Legrand addressed several pivotal topics:

  1. Leading hotels and hotel chains spearheading the sustainability transformation.
  2. The challenges posed by the franchise model in promoting sustainability.
  3. Regulatory bodies demanding sustainable practices (via reporting).
  4. Destinations fostering sustainability (via leadership).
  5. The growing demand for sustainability certifications among hotels, including the underlying reasons.
  6. Expectations and upcoming highlights of the GSTC Global Conference.

This 20-minute conversation is packed with insights, making it a must-watch for those seeking inspiration or answers on advancing sustainability in the travel sector.

Sustainability Sustainability

Founded in 1994 in Maastricht, the Netherlands, Hospitality Net is the #1 B2B portal for global hotel professionals and one of the longest-running independent hospitality B2B publications in the world. Hospitality Net acts as a neutral broker and publisher of hotel business information, built on a membership model for all stakeholders in the global hotel industry.

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council® (GSTC) establishes and manages global standards for sustainable travel and tourism, known as the GSTC Criteria. There are two sets: Destination Criteria for public policy-makers and destination managers, and Industry Criteria for hotels and tour operators. They are the result of a worldwide effort to develop a common language about sustainability in tourism.