Marking an important achievement for New Zealand’s tourism sector, Qualmark’s Sustainable Tourism Business (STB) Criteria has been awarded with the GSTC-Recognised Status by Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).
This awards positions Qualmark as the first sustainable business in New Zealand to secure this certification, highlighting its commitment to upholding international benchmarks of sustainability.
The recognition is the conclusion of Qualmark’s recent endeavours to refine its Sustainable Tourism Business Criteria. In May, the criteria underwent a significant overhaul, specifically designed to align with the required standards set by the GSTC.
Qualmark general manager Steven Dixon says “Our recent alignment with the GSTC criteria was a strategic move to ensure that our members are on par with global sustainability standards. With the GSTC-Recognized Status now under our belt, our members can be assured that a Qualmark certification is synonymous with international sustainability benchmarks.”
”This endorsement raises the sustainability credentials for our members in consumers who are looking for an internationally recognised guarantee of sustainable practices. It also means Qualmark accommodation providers can participate in GSTC’s Market Access program for preferential buying with prominent online travel agencies including Google & Booking.com.” says Steven.
Highlighting the ripple effect of this global recognition, Steve says it gives tourism businesses another reason to be proud of gaining Qualmark accreditation and helps to support their business and New Zealand’s transition to a regenerative tourism system.
The achievement also further contributes to Qualmark’s commitment towards sustainability and promotes our goal of supporting a regenerative tourism industry. Qualmark will now support our members to engage with GSTC network to further improve their offerings.”
