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Sustainable Tourism Certification for Destinations

How it Works

Just six simple steps...

To become a member, set up a call with our team to start the process, or join online. We will send your membership agreement, the Sustainable Tourism Code of Conduct, provide access to our online assessment portal, and schedule your assessment. 

We’ll schedule a virtual meeting with your destination team to review the process, discuss timelines, and create a custom roadmap for the assessment process. 

Your destination team will work through the assessment questions. Depending on how much you are already measuring and monitoring, this process can take days, weeks, or months, but we will help you stay on track based on the timelines we have mapped out in the previous step. 

Once you have completed all of the questions to the best of your ability, you will submit your responses and schedule a series of assessment calls to review your responses. The calls will last two to four hours and your assessor will review and discuss your responses with you in detail. Depending on the size of the destination and questions that the assessor may have, there may be one or several calls to get through the process. 

After each call you will be asked to submit evidence for a selection of the criteria. After all evidence requested has been received and reviewed, your assessor will finalize your assessment report. 

Your report and sustainability action plan will be sent to you, and another call set up to review the results. If you have met the minimum score required, you will achieve certification, and your total score will determine your bronze, silver, gold, or platinum certification.  At this time, we will work with you on a plan to communicate your certification, and to roll out destination level tools to engage your stakeholders, if you wish. 

What you Get

Expert Guidance

Receive a personal assessment with a sustainability expert who will prepare a report and action plan to guide your sustainability actions. Gain access to tools and resources, a peer-network, regular tips and check-ins from our team, and discounts on other services.

Marketing Support

We'll help you spread the word about your certification through our partners, with a blog post, through social media, and with web-links to support your SEO. You'll receive a marketing with guidance on sharing your achievements on your website, social channels, and marketing materials.

Enhanced Credibility

Use your certification to help tell your story, attract great customers, win awards, secure new contracts, and build partnerships. We'll send an outdoor sign, window decal, certificate, and the Sustainable Tourism Certified logo for all of your marketing materials, website and more.

Pricing

Certification fees are based upon the population of the destination. Fees for the first year are higher to facilitate the onboarding, coordination, and initial baseline assessment and action plan development. Annual membership and certification maintenance fees for subsequent years are reduced. Destinations must undertake a reassessment every three years. Choose your size below. For Sustainable Tourism Business Certification pricing, please see our Business page.  

We recommend setting up a call to discuss the pathway to certification and to create a plan with our team before beginning the certification process. Destinations mush achieve a minimum score in order to achieve certification. 

Micro Destination

Population:
< 50,000

$5,000 Year 1
$2,000 Years 2+

Small Destination

Population:
50,000 to 200,000

$8,000 Year 1
$2,500 Years 2+

Medium Destination

Population: 
200,000 to 500,000

$15,000 Year 1
$3,000 Years 2+

Large Destination

Population: 
500,000 to 1.5 million 

$20,000 Year 1
$3,500 Years 2+

Mega Destination

Population: 
>1.5 million 

$30,000 Year 1
$5,000 Years 2+

Let's Talk

Book a complimentary consultation today to discuss your needs and learn more about how we can help you reach your destination goals.