The Global Sustainable Tourism Council® (GSTC®) has announced that “Green Hotel Plus” and its Thai counterpart have been awarded GSTC-Recognized Standard status, confirming their alignment with the GSTC Industry Criteria. This recognition signifies a major milestone for Thailand’s efforts to promote sustainable tourism practices.
For over a decade, the Environmentally Friendly Hotel Project (Green Hotel), overseen by Thailand’s Department of Climate Change and Environment (DCCE), has been dedicated to enhancing the environmental performance of Thai hotels. The Green Hotel Standards, characterized by Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards, aim to minimize the industry’s ecological footprint. These standards encompass eco-conscious service policies, staff and executive engagement, employee training, and public relations initiatives aimed at educating both staff and guests. They also emphasize sustainable resource utilization, efficient waste management, and community engagement.
The newly recognized Green Hotel Plus Standard and its Thai counterpart further elevate these efforts by incorporating additional guidelines on management, staff welfare, child and animal protection, and carbon emissions mitigation. This aligns perfectly with the DCCE’s strategic goals to achieve Carbon Neutrality by 2050 and Net Zero by 2065, guiding Thai hotels towards global sustainability benchmarks.
The GSTC-Recognized status, awarded after a rigorous review by GSTC technical experts and the GSTC Assurance Panel, signifies the standard’s adherence to the GSTC Criteria’s four pillars: Sustainable Management, Socioeconomic impacts, Cultural impacts, and Environmental sustainability. Importantly, this recognition pertains solely to the standard itself, not the certification process, which involves a third-party audit of a tourism enterprise’s compliance with the standard.
This recognition is a testament to Thailand’s commitment to sustainable tourism and its efforts to promote environmentally friendly practices within the hotel industry. It is expected to motivate Thai hotels to meet international standards, attracting eco-conscious tourists and tour operators. This will also contribute to Thailand’s broader mission of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and combating climate change.
The new Green Hotel Plus standard offers a clear pathway for over 800 Thai hotels to transition from national to international best practices, enabling them to scale up their sustainability efforts. This achievement is a result of collaborative efforts between the DCCE, the EU SWITCH ASIA Tourlink Project, and dedicated individuals.
This recognition strengthens Thailand’s position as a leader in sustainable tourism and serves as a model for other countries seeking to promote environmentally responsible practices within their hospitality sectors.
