A certification body gains GSTC accreditation by meeting ISO/IEC 17065:2012 plus the extra requirements in the GSTC Accreditation Manual, then passing GSTC's desk, office and witness assessments. The manual for hotels, tour operators, MICE and attractions is Version 5.0, approved on 1 March 2026. GSTC itself runs the accreditation, except in agreed countries such as EU members, where an endorsed national accreditation body does.
This guide is for quality managers and scheme managers at certification bodies that want to certify sustainable tourism businesses or destinations.
Who accredits GSTC certification bodies?
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) states on its accreditation page that it provides and manages accreditation. Its Accreditation Procedure v3.0 (March 2026) describes GSTC as the accreditation body that takes the accreditation decisions, and it bases its witness assessments on ISO/IEC 17011:2017.
Clause 3.1 of the manual adds one exception. For certification bodies located in mutually agreed countries, including those in the European Union, a GSTC-endorsed national accreditation body administers the accreditation. GSTC keeps oversight of those bodies.
Accreditation is only half of the arrangement. A certification body must also sign a licensing agreement with GSTC before it can issue the GSTC-certified logo to clients.
What does the manual add to ISO/IEC 17065:2012?
ISO/IEC 17065 sets general requirements for bodies certifying products, processes and services: impartiality, structure, resources, the certification process and the management system. The GSTC Accreditation Manual v5.0 uses it as the base and sets tourism-specific rules against its clauses. The table summarises the additions most likely to need new procedures or records. The last column is AGS's interpretation.
| Area | Manual v5.0 clause | What GSTC adds | Evidence to prepare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Track record | 4.3 | At least one internal audit, one management review and one complete certification activity before initial accreditation. A simulated assessment is allowed | Internal audit report, review minutes, one full client or simulated file |
| Scope | 5.1 | Scope set by tourism activity, reference standard (GSTC Standard or a GSTC-Recognized standard) and geography | Published scope statement |
| Impartiality | 8.5 | Anyone who consulted for a client may not audit, review or decide on that client for at least two years | Declarations, register of advisory links, conflict checks |
| Certification cycle | 8.10.4, 8.14.3 | Three-year cycle with a surveillance audit every year. Initial and recertification audits on-site | Audit programme per client |
| Client risk | 8.13 | Risk level drives audit time and frequency. It uses likely impacts, the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index (0.60 or higher can be low risk) and sensitive areas such as World Heritage and Ramsar sites | Risk assessment record for each client |
| Nonconformities | 8.15 | Major and minor grades. Majors must be closed within 90 days of issue | Nonconformity reports with closure evidence |
| Auditors | 10.6 to 10.9 | Secondary education minimum. A recognised lead auditor qualification or two years in hospitality, environmental or social work. ISO 19011:2018 audit training and the GSTC Auditor Training for each scope | Competence file and training certificates per auditor |
What happens during GSTC accreditation?
The Accreditation Procedure v3.0 sets the order. An applicant submits the application form and the checklist for its scope. GSTC then reviews the documented information and carries out a desk assessment. An office assessment of the head office follows, and after it a witness assessment, where GSTC assessors watch the applicant's auditors audit a real client.
After a positive decision, accreditation runs on an annual surveillance programme. Surveillance combines office and witness assessments, and GSTC can witness each accredited tourism activity yearly. GSTC can also run unannounced assessments when it has concerns. The manual says accreditation lapses after five years from the grant or last renewal, and the procedure starts reaccreditation about nine months before the cycle ends.
Costs follow the GSTC Accreditation Fee Schedule v4.0 (March 2026), and GSTC asks for details of the scope and number of assessments before it gives an estimate. The working language is English, so the applicant arranges and pays for any translation.
Which tourism scopes and standards can a body be accredited for?
Under the industry manual, a body can be accredited for hotels and accommodation, tour operators and tour products, MICE venues, event organisers, events and exhibitions, and attractions. It can certify directly to the GSTC Standard, called Alternative A, where every indicator is mandatory. It can also certify to a GSTC-Recognized standard, called Alternative B, where the elements equivalent to GSTC indicators are mandatory. A body can hold both.
The reference standards changed on 30 December 2025. The old Industry Criteria v3 were replaced by the GSTC Hotel Standard v4 and the GSTC Tour Operator Standard v4, and audits now work at indicator level. Under GSTC's transition guidance, v3 surveillance and renewal audits can continue until 30 December 2028. Our guides to the GSTC Hotel Standard and the GSTC Tour Operator Standard cover what clients must meet.
Destinations sit under a separate document, the Accreditation Manual for Certification Bodies, Destination version 2.1 (February 2026). It uses the same ISO/IEC 17065:2012 base and the same three-year cycle with annual surveillance. Its audit planning adds destination factors such as population, visitor numbers and the share of tourism in the local economy.
What should an applicant fix first?
Most of the work sits in a few places that a generic ISO/IEC 17065 system does not cover. On AGS's reading of the requirements, these are the points to settle before applying:
- Auditor eligibility: confirm each auditor's route under clause 10.7 and book the GSTC Auditor Training for the scope. Training on the Hotel Standard covers hotel audits, and Tour Operator training covers tour operator and tour product audits.
- Risk method: write down how you score risk and audit time, including the Rule of Law Index check and the sensitive-area lists. Our guide to ISO 19011 audit guidance covers the planning principles the manual refers to.
- Client agreements: include GSTC's right to witness your audits and to see client documents, because the procedure requires it.
- Track record: if you have no real client yet, plan a full simulated assessment from application to decision.
Does the ISO/IEC 17065 revision change GSTC accreditation?
Not yet. ISO's record for ISO/IEC FDIS 17065 shows Edition 2 at stage 50.20, the final ballot stage, so it is not published. Both GSTC manuals cite ISO/IEC 17065:2012 as a dated reference, and each says later revisions of dated references do not apply automatically. A change would come through a new manual version or a GSTC transition notice. Manual clause 7.2 promises at least 90 days' notice of changed requirements.
How AGS can help
AGS has two kits for certification bodies seeking GSTC accreditation:
- ISOIEC 17065-2012 with the GSTC Accreditation Manual for Certification Bodies: 57 editable Word documents, including audit checklists for hotel, tour operator, MICE and attraction scopes.
- GSTC Certification Body Management System: 81 editable Word and Excel documents, including industry and destination readiness checklists.
Frequently asked questions
Does GSTC certify hotels itself?
No. GSTC accredits certification bodies, and those bodies certify hotels, tour operators and destinations.
How long is a GSTC certificate valid?
The certification cycle is three years, with a surveillance audit every year and recertification before expiry.
Can a body be GSTC-accredited without real clients?
Yes, for initial accreditation. Clause 4.3.1 allows a simulated assessment that runs the full process from application to a possible certificate.
Do documentation templates lead to accreditation?
No. Accreditation depends on GSTC's assessment of how the body actually operates, including witnessed audits.
AGS provides independent documentation toolkits. GSTC, ISO, IEC, the World Justice Project and national accreditation bodies are named for identification only. AGS is not affiliated with, endorsed by or approved by any of them, and no kit guarantees an accreditation outcome.
Reviewed October 2026. Facts checked against the sources current at publication.
