Welcome to Go Sustainable Tourism

MEASURE & MANAGE

1. GST is a management method for entrepreneurs in the tourism stay industry interested in managing their business for sustainability.

2. The stay business offers accommodation, food and participatory natural and cultural experiences.

3. The GST management method consists of four equitable legs:

Conservation: Ethical utilisation of local natural and cultural resources
Community: Locals involved in management
Customer: Guidelines for the visitor target market
Company: Profitability of the business

4. Each leg contains relevant questions reflecting management objectives.

5. The entrepreneur manages this according to own standards.

6. The management objectives are annually tested for validity.

7. An assessor verifies the management standards using an internationally accepted audit format to certify the business for its contribution to sustainability at home.

8. Verification audits every second year.

9. The GST member is rewarded with a certificate, a confidential report and a public report.

10. The certificate and the public report can be used for marketing.

11. The GST concept and operations are the registered IP of Sustainable Tourism Management System (Pty) Ltd. t/a GST.

Download summary of Measure & Manage "HERE"

TOURISM AND SUSTAINABILITY

How to measure and manage this.

“Sustainable Development is meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
Source: World Commission on Environment and Development (Brundtland Commission) - UN Resolution 38/161

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

A sustainable tourism business operates in harmony with

local environment
local community
local cultures and visitors

so that these become the permanent beneficiaries.

THE GLOBAL ECONOMY AND SUSTAINABILITY

Focus today is only on maximum profit.
Gaps between rich and poor are increasing.
Raw materials and energy sources are under threat.
Pollution is overwhelming.
Sustainability seems an obstacle in the way of economic growth.

THE DILEMMA

Relationship between global environment and local businesses is not understood.
Accelerate (economic development) and brake (conservation) is our metaphor.
How to get this balance.

LOCAL

You are here now - the economy embedded in the environment (your business in your area).

HOW CAN GST ASSIST?

Provide you with the 4C Management Method.
The method will show where you are and where you can improve regarding sustainability.
The external audit will acknowledge your progress.
Follow-up audit to encourage continuous improvement.
Assist and equip you to make your business a model destination for visitors (the “green” tourist).

THE SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS STRUCTURE

4 C’S: STRUCTURAL STAKEHOLDERS

Conservation C1: of natural and cultural resources used for tourism production.
Community C2: enhancing benefits for host communities at tourism destinations.
Customer C3: ethical consumption of authentic sense of place experiences.
Company C4: managing long term financial sustainability of a tourism business.

GST AUDIT: CERTIFICATE & LOGO

GST is a South African tourism verification audit, certifying unique, pro-active contribution to sustainable tourism.
We use a simple, valid, reliable and affordable, external audit which is linked to international marketing exposure.
More participants required to enlarge statistical sample.

BENEFITS FOR THE CONSUMER/TOURIST

Provides tourists with environmentally and socially sustainable choices.
Increased public awareness of sustainable business practices.
Alert tourists to environmental and social issues in an area, allowing them to act more respectfully or contribute to solutions.
Certified businesses tend to improve quality service.

PARTICIPANT/PRODUCT OWNER BENEFITS

A step-by-step process striving towards sustainability in your business.
The right to display the Certificate and the Logo on website, publicity and marketing materials.

Welcome to Go Sustainable Tourism

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