The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) will host the GSTC2024 Global Sustainable Tourism Conference in Sentosa, Singapore from November 13 to 16, providing a connection and learning platform for global and local tourism professionals who are committed to promoting and advancing sustainable travel and tourism.

The conference will be held at the Equarius Hotel, which is certified against the GSTC Industry Criteria for Hotels. The hotel is part of Resorts World Sentosa, the first tourism destination in the world to be certified against both the GSTC Destination Criteria and GSTC Industry Criteria for Hotels in 2021. Additionally, both Sentosa and Singapore are also certified as sustainable destinations, further enhancing the credentials of the event’s setting.

The event will have four core themes: Driving Sustainable Urban Tourism; Sustainable Hospitality; Integrating Sustainability across the Value Chain; and Preserving Culture, Heritage and Communities.

Through these themes, the conference aims to equip participants with the knowledge and practical skills needed to drive progress in their sustainability journey.

Participants can expect pre-conference training, interactive panels, workshops, meetings, networking opportunities as well as tailored post-conference tours across two days.

There are also opportunities to explore Sentosa’s sustainability initiatives through curated tours. According to Lee Shi Ruh, president, Resorts World Sentosa, there would be a guided tour that takes delegates behind the scenes of the integrated resort, highlighting innovations such as its district cooling plant and cloud-based building management system.

Ong Huey Hong, chief sustainability officer, Singapore Tourism Board, said: “Hosting the GSTC2024 Global Sustainable Tourism Conference highlights Singapore’s appeal as a global-Asia node for quality events and underscores our commitment to sustainable tourism. Guided by the Singapore Green Plan, our sustainable tourism strategy aims to build a city in nature, where large experiences come with small footprints. We are committed to supporting the tourism industry in their sustainability journey, including pushing boundaries in innovation by leveraging technology, and enhancing the green skills of our workforce such as in certification and reporting, and carbon management. This conference will serve as a crucial platform for global leaders to convene, exchange insights, and collaboratively forge new partnerships in sustainable tourism, inspiring meaningful impact worldwide.”

Lee Cheh Hsien, assistant chief executive, corporate and sustainability, Sentosa Development Corporation, said: “Being the first destination in Asia to be certified to GSTC’s destination standards, we are honoured to host GSTC’s first global conference in South-east Asia and look forward to the learnings and exchanges among global experts and participants. We welcome them to immerse themselves in Sentosa’s lush nature and heritage sites and experience first-hand the sustainability initiatives championed by the businesses across our island ecosystem.”