Azores is the first archipelago to receive the certification of Sustainable Tourism Destination

The GSTC 2019 Global Sustainable Tourism Conference “Navigating the Way Forward” that took place on December 4th-7th in Terceira Island, the Azores, brought together 250 delegates from 42 countries, along with hundreds of viewers that watched the live broadcasting of the conference.

The opening ceremony celebrated the Azores as the first archipelago to be certified as a sustainable destination by EarthCheck. “It is with great proud that today we can say that the Azores are certified as a sustainable tourist destination,” said Ms. Marta Guerreiro , Regional Secretary of Energy, Environment and Tourism (in the photo below). “We are the first and only archipelago in the world to have this certification. We are the only region in Portugal with this certification. It was 2 years of hard work, not always visible, and dedication to fulfill a commitment to certify the Azores as a sustainable tourist destination.”

The GSTC Annual Congress is one of the largest international events on sustainable development and brings together many countries at a time of sharing, debate and reflection, not only on this issue at international level, but especially at regional and national level and in this case, taking into account the certification process of the Azores as a Sustainable Tourist Destination, a distinction granted by the certification entity EarthCheck.

The Conference themes were: (A) Sustainable Destination Management; (B) Market Opportunities and Challenges for Sustainable Products; and (C) Tourism Response to Climate Change.

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council is an independent and neutral non-governmental organization that brings together United Nations agencies, NGOs, national and regional governments, DMCs, hotels, tour operators, people and communities striving to achieve sustainable tourism best practices.