Expert in sustainable tourism, Dr. Ioannis Pappas, recently gained a seat on the Global Sustainable Tourism Council’s (GSTC) Board of Directors.
Dr. Ioannis Pappas was appointed to the GSTC Board this month, along with two new members: CB (Ram) Ramkumar and Rosemary Black; and three returning board members: Kelly Bricker, Chi Lo, and Melinda Watt.
“It is really a great honor for me to be part of the GSTC Board” said Dr. Ioannis Pappas. “By this election, the South-East part of Mediterranean Basin is represented, creating an opportunity for implementing the GSTC criteria for Sustainable Tourism in countries like Greece and Cyprus in a more loud and productive way, starting from the first GSTC EU Regional Meeting in Greece, on the 23rd and 24th of November 2016, in Athens. I invite all to join and share ideas and knowledge about the present and the future of the EU Sustainable Tourism.”
At the heart of this work are the Global Sustainable Tourism Council’s Sustainability Criteria. There are two sets of GSTC Criteria: Destination Criteria (GSTC-D) and Hotel & Tour Operator Criteria (GSTC-H&TO). These are the guiding principles and minimum requirements that any tourism business or destination should aspire to reach in order to protect and sustain the world’s natural and cultural resources, while ensuring tourism meets its potential as a tool for conservation and poverty alleviation. Sustainability is imperative for all tourism stakeholders and must translate from words to actions.
Dr. Ioannis Pappas is a GSTC Greece Country Representative and GSTC authorized Trainer. He will contribute to the GSTC from his experience of professional career spanning over 25 years in Engineering and Applied Mechanics, Energy and Environmental Services, Carbon Finance and Sustainable Tourism.
About the GSTC
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is a global initiative dedicated to promoting sustainable tourism efforts around the world. The GSTC works to expand understanding of and access to sustainable tourism practices; helps identify and generate markets for sustainable tourism; and educates about and advocates for a set of universal principles, as defined by the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria. The Criteria, a set of voluntary principles that provide a framework for the sustainability of tourism businesses across the globe, is the cornerstone of our initiative.
