Preferred by Nature Sustainable Travel Programme is approaching a pivotal milestone in its journey toward GSTC accreditation
The tourism industry is booming, with travellers, destinations, hotels, tour operators, and major platforms increasingly seeking reliable, verifiable tools to implement and demonstrate responsible practices, avoid misleading claims, and build trust. Amid this shift, credible third-party certification has become essential for transparency across the tourism supply chain.
For over 30 years, Preferred by Nature has championed sustainability across sectors and industries through international standards. Over the past two decades, this work has been translated into the Preferred by Nature Sustainability Framework. In the tourism sector, it is applied through the Preferred by Nature Standard for Sustainable Travel Activities, supporting organisations in strengthening sustainable tourism management and responsible travel practices.
Our Sustainable Travel Programme (STP) has evolved alongside the tourism industry, responding to its growing demands and complexity. Today, this journey is approaching a pivotal milestone in its path toward accreditation by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), the leading global benchmark for sustainable tourism.
“While the journey is not yet complete, the finish line is still ahead. Preferred by Nature is in the final stretch toward GSTC accreditation. The steps taken so far demonstrate a strong commitment to strengthening credibility, consistency, and trust in sustainable tourism certification, helping partner organisations meet growing market demands for transparency, comparability, and independently verified performance”, said Saúl Blanco Sosa, Director, Sustainable Travel Programme, Preferred by Nature.
The Preferred by Nature Standard for Sustainable Travel Activities, GSTC-recognised since 2024: why does it matter?
The Preferred by Nature Standard for Sustainable Travel Activities provides a comprehensive framework for tourism organisations seeking to promote responsible and sustainable tourism practices, while investing in nature, people, and climate to support the long-term viability of their businesses and the resources they depend on. It is based on Preferred by Nature’s Sustainability Framework and its four principles, supported by 31 criteria.
The standard is structured around four core principles that define a holistic approach to sustainability. These address responsible management and business practices; respect for people’s wellbeing and human rights; the protection of nature and the environment; and the reduction and mitigation of climate impacts.
Together, these principles are supported by clear and measurable criteria that guide organisations in implementing credible and balanced sustainability practices across environmental, social, and economic dimensions.
By 2025, the STP had consolidated results and impacts such as:
| 48+ | Certified tourism businesses (48 certified tourism businesses) in Mexico, Central America, The Caribbean, South America and Asia |
| 30,400+ | Verified employment contracts and labor conditions at all certified operations |
| Nearly 15,000 | hectares managed responsibly for tourism activities |
| 14,000+ | hectares reserved for strict conservation |
| 30+ | destination where local economies are benefiting from the implementation of sustainable practices applied by certified businesses |
| 12.9+ | Million people (guests and passengers) participating in educational activities aimed at raising awareness and teaching sustainable choices and habits |
As for the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), it develops the GSTC Standards, which serve as internationally accepted principles for assessing sustainability in tourism. Founded in 2007 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and global partners, GSTC establishes a universal framework for sustainable tourism by defining and maintaining globally accepted standards, recognising aligned standards, and accrediting certification bodies. As such, GSTC accreditation is widely recognised as a leading global benchmark and is increasingly referenced by destinations, buyers, and tourism operators worldwide.
In 2024, as a first milestone, the current version of Preferred by Nature Standard for Sustainable Travel Activities achieved GSTC-Recognised status, confirming its equivalence with the GSTC Industry Standard. As a result, sector actors complying with the Preferred by Nature Standard for Sustainable Travel Activities can:
- Demonstrate alignment with these internationally accepted requirements
- Benefit from increased visibility and market recognition through initiatives such as the GSTC Market Access Programme.
Now on the road to GSTC accreditation: what comes next and what does this mean for certified organisations?
The current stage represents an important step forward. At the same time, further progress can be achieved by strengthening alignment between the Preferred by Nature Standard for Sustainable Travel Activities and internationally recognised sustainability benchmarks for the tourism sector.
Accreditation goes beyond criteria alignment and focuses on the performance and reliability of the certification system, including:
- Independence and impartiality
- Compliance with ISO 170651
- Auditor and team competence
- Audit quality, consistency, and transparency
- Document control, traceability, and trustworthy decision-making processes
This process provides independent assurance that certifications are delivered through a reliable system aligned with internationally recognised requirements.
Once this milestone is achieved and Preferred by Nature becomes a GSTC-accredited certification body, organisations certified under the Preferred by Nature Standard for Sustainable Travel Activities, including hotels, hotel groups and tour operators, will gain additional, business-relevant benefits and be able to showcase strong alignment with globally recognised, sector-relevant sustainability standards.
These benefits include the ability to:
- Use a dual logo on certificates, combining Preferred by Nature and GSTC, and
- Apply both logos across marketing materials and communications.
Overall, GSTC accreditation enhances brand visibility, recognition and market value of certification, supporting organisations in keeping positioning their sustainability performance with confidence.
What’s next: an important milestone on the road ahead
The accreditation process has progressed through several critical phases:
2024: Following GSTC recognition of the Preferred by Nature Standard for Sustainable Travel Activities, we strengthened our quality management systems, audit processes, and internal documentation to meet full accreditation requirements. The formal GSTC accreditation process commenced in December 2024 with initial submissions and evaluations.
2025: Key milestones were completed, including office and on-site witness audits of our quality management system and audit procedures.
Q1 2026: Final stages of the GSTC accreditation process, subject to GSTC’s formal decision, marking a significant moment for current Preferred by Nature certified organisations, as well as for the development of the Preferred by Nature Sustainable Travel Strategy.
Further updates will be shared as this important process continues to progress.
“We are entering an important new phase for the Preferred by Nature Sustainable Travel Programme. This stage reflects the maturity of our certification system and the work done to strengthen its consistency, rigour, and international alignment. It is about ensuring that sustainability performance is assessed and verified through robust, transparent processes that organisations and markets can rely on,” stated Saúl.
Interested in knowing more?
Contact us to learn more about the Preferred by Nature Sustainable Travel Programme and how it supports organisations in strengthening credible and internationally aligned sustainability practices.
Behind the Standard: Built on the Preferred by Nature Sustainability Framework
The Preferred by Nature Standard for Sustainable Travel Activities is built on the Preferred by Nature Sustainability Framework — the organisation's overarching model for driving sustainability across sectors and geographies.
The Sustainability Framework clarifies what sustainability means in practice for Preferred by Nature and how it is implemented: protecting nature and biodiversity, respecting people and local communities, enhancing responsible governance, and maintaining credibility through independent verification. It offers a structured approach to transforming markets by linking responsible supply, informed demand, and tangible on-the-ground impact.
The Sustainable Travel Programme applies this framework to the tourism industry. It converts these core sustainability principles into specific-sector requirements, ensuring that both the standard and the certification scheme align with the GSTC standards and accreditation requirements.
This guarantees that tourism certification under Preferred by Nature is based on a proven, cross-sector sustainability framework, fully aligned with international best practices, and built to deliver credible, transparent, and meaningful results.
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