Overview
The GSTC Certification Body Management System addresses the organizations that certify tourism enterprises and destinations rather than the enterprises themselves. Its purpose is to ensure that certification bodies operating in the sustainable tourism field are competent, impartial, consistent and credible when assessing conformity against GSTC-Recognized or GSTC-Accredited standards. The primary audience is certification bodies, auditors and scheme owners, and it is applicable to any entity seeking GSTC accreditation to certify hotels, tour operators, attractions or destinations. Structurally, the system is grounded in the GSTC Accreditation requirements, which are closely aligned with international conformity-assessment norms, particularly ISO/IEC 17065 for product, process and service certification and related ISO/IEC 17000-series standards. Key requirements cover organizational structure and governance, impartiality and management of conflicts of interest, competence and training of auditors and technical experts, defined certification procedures, decision-making independence, complaints and appeals handling, confidentiality, document control and consistent application of the certification scheme. By anchoring itself in both GSTC and the ISO/IEC conformity-assessment framework, this management system links sustainable tourism certification to the wider global infrastructure of accreditation and mutual recognition, strengthening trust across markets. The main benefits include enhanced credibility and market acceptance of certificates issued, reduced risk of greenwashing, consistent and defensible certification decisions, and international recognition of the certification body's competence. In the certification context, GSTC accredits certification bodies through this framework, and those accredited bodies in turn certify tourism businesses and destinations, creating a robust three-tier assurance chain of standard, accreditor and certifier. Accreditation is maintained through periodic assessment and surveillance, ensuring the certification body continues to meet requirements and that the certificates it issues remain trustworthy and globally credible over time to travelers, industry partners and regulators alike.
Included: 81 ready-to-use, fully editable documents (manual, procedures, forms, records, checklists, guidance and training material).
License: single-organization license; delivered electronically as a ZIP archive.
From purchase to audit-ready
Buy & download instantly
Pay securely by card. Your ZIP download link appears immediately on the confirmation page and in your email.
Edit & brand as your own
Open the native Word & Excel files, add your logo and details, and adapt everything to your organisation.
Implement & get audit-ready
Roll out the manuals, procedures, forms and checklists to build a working, certification-ready system.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly do I receive?
A downloadable ZIP containing the full set of ready-to-use documents for this toolkit — manuals, procedures, forms, records, checklists, guidance and training material, all in editable Word and Excel format. The exact document count is shown at the top of this page.
Are the documents really editable?
Yes. Every file is native Microsoft Word or Excel — no locked PDFs. Add your logo, change wording, and tailor the content to your organisation. The toolkit is yours to keep and reuse.
Does this certify my organisation?
No. These are documentation toolkits aligned to the relevant standard to help you prepare. Certification itself is issued by an accredited certification body after their audit. Our toolkits give you a strong, audit-ready starting point.
How is it delivered?
Instantly and digitally. There's no physical shipment — you download the files right after payment and receive a backup link by email.
Do I get updates?
Yes. If we revise this toolkit, you're entitled to the updated version at no extra cost — just contact us with your order details.
What is your refund policy?
Because these are digital products delivered instantly, all sales are final once downloaded. If you have any issue with your files, contact us and we'll make it right. See our Refund Policy for full details.