Tahiti Tourismejoins the Global Sustainable Tourism Council

Tahiti Tourisme joins the Global Sustainable Tourism Council

Fari’ira’a Manihini 2027 (or FM27) is the tourism development strategy that in the next five years seeks to position The Islands of Tahiti as the leading destination in the Pacific for inclusive and sustainable tourism. It is a critical roadmap that was co-constructed with the local population as well as public and private tourism stakeholders in a collaborative approach initiated by the Ministry of Tourism of French Polynesia.

Published on 16 November 2022

TOWARDS

INCLUSIVE & SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

As this roadmap is about to be officially adopted by the authorities of French Polynesia, Tahiti Tourisme is joining the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) as a member in support of this strategy.

GSTC

Established UN agencies together with a coalition of 32 public and private organizations in 2007, the GSTC is the organization that established the global standards for sustainable travel and tourism, known as the GSTC Criteria.

“We are delighted to have Tahiti Tourisme as a member, becoming an active contributor to the essential work the GSTC is doing to achieve global adoption of universal principles of sustainable tourism,” said Randy Durband, GSTC CEO. “Even before becoming a member of the GSTC, Tahiti Tourisme had already shown its commitment by training members of its executive committee, which has effectively completed the Sustainable Travel Course from the “Sustainable Tourism Training Program” (STTP),” Randy Durband continued.

AN INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL COMMITMENT

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The main topics of the Sustainable Tourism Training Program are to educate on how to manage a destination in a sustainable way and how to make informed decisions to implement sustainable development practices.

“Everyone has their own way of defining and approaching the implementation of sustainable tourism. Referring to the GSTC Criteria means using a global reference framework to be applied at the scale of a tourism company or destination. Since The Islands of Tahiti is committed to the development of inclusive and sustainable tourism, it was important to start by training the executive team to master this standard,” said Jean-Marc Mocellin, CEO of Tahiti Tourisme.

At the same time, on a regional level, Tahiti Tourisme is also participating in the work initiated by the South Pacific Tourism Organization (SPTO) for the development of the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Policy Framework 2030, a strategy for sustainable tourism in the Pacific.

Work is currently underway to define the criteria for this strategy, also based on the GSTC Criteria. The ambition is that the 21 member countries of SPTO, including The Islands of Tahiti, will be able to use this work to adapt it to their own needs and thus deploy a strategy based on a common vision for the Pacific region.

For the time being, and on a local level, Tahiti Tourisme is associated to the Polynesian authorities and the Agence de l’Environnement et de la Maîtrise de l’Énergie (ADEME) to conduct a study of the carbon footprint of the tourism sector of French Polynesia. “In fact, this audit will not only give us a factual picture of the existing situation, but will also allow us to set concrete objectives and priorities in terms of actions to be taken,” concludes Jean-Marc Mocellin, CEO of Tahiti Tourisme.

About the GSTC

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council® (GSTC®) establishes and manages global sustainable standards, 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. These are the guiding principles and minimum requirements that any tourism business or destination should aspire to reach in order to protect and sustain the world’s natural and cultural resources while ensuring tourism meets its potential as a tool for conservation and poverty alleviation.

The GSTC Criteria form the foundation for GSTC’s assurance role for Certification Bodies that certify hotels/accommodations, tour operators, and destinations as having sustainable policies and practices in place. GSTC does not directly certify any products or services, but provides accreditation to those that do. The GSTC is an independent and neutral USA-registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization that represents a diverse and global membership, including national and provincial governments, leading travel companies, hotels, tour operators, NGOs, individuals and communities – all striving to achieve best practices in sustainable tourism.
Information for media and the press: www.gstcouncil.org/about/for-the-press/

Informations pour les médias et la presse : www.gstcouncil.org/about/for-the-press/

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