Sonoma County Tourism (SCT) has become a member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).
GSTC is a non-profit organisation that establishes and manages global standards for sustainable travel and tourism, known as the GSTC Criteria.
It develops accreditation frameworks for certification bodies that certify lodging, tour operators/transport providers, and destinations as having sustainable policies and practices in place.
"GSTC’s global team is delighted that Sonoma County Tourism has joined our network of expert practitioners to provide even more support and tools to their already strong approach to more sustainable forms of tourism," says Randy Durband, CEO of the GSTC.
Responsible stewardship is the focus of SCT’s 2021-2023 Strategic Plan.
The membership to GSTC complements the partnership with Sonoma County Regional Parks and the national Leave No Trace (LNT) organisation, which was formed to help mitigate impacts to Sonoma County’s parks and outdoor spaces.
Last year, the partnership unveiled the Sonoma County Leave No Trace Seven Principles – a framework of minimum impact practices for anyone visiting Sonoma County’s outdoors.
"Joining the Global Sustainable Tourism Council provides Sonoma County Tourism with valuable resources as we move through our destination master plan," says Claudia Vecchio, President and CEO of Sonoma County Tourism.
"Resiliency and sustainability continue to be a key focus as we map out our destination’s future."
