Chile and Peru Pilot New Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria for Destinations
South America Takes Center Stage, Other Destinations to be Announced Soon
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| Machu Picchu |
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) has selected the
Cusco-Sacred Valley-Machu Picchu corridor in Peru, and the shores of
Lake Llanquihue, Puerto Varas, and Frutillar in the Lakes Region of
Chile for the second round of its pilot program to test its new Criteria
and Indicators for Destinations. These new Early Adopters are the
first South American destinations to participate.
Overseen by GSTC’s Destination Working Group and managed by NGO partner Sustainable Travel International, the
Global Sustainable Tourism Council’s Criteria for Destinations are
designed to orient destination managers, communities, and businesses
toward the steps that are needed to sustain their natural and cultural
assets, while benefitting local communities. The Destination Criteria
complement the existing GSTC Criteria for Hotels and Tour Operators,
which have become the worldwide sustainability standard for tourism
businesses.
Joined
by a select group of additional destinations to be announced,
destination management organizations in Peru and Chile will help to test
and provide feedback on the Destination Criteria. Early
adoption of baseline sustainable tourism criteria and indicators will
also offer these destinations improved decision-making frameworks,
providing an increased ability to evaluate progress in the sustainable
development of tourism.
“We are pleased to welcome Peru and Chile to the Early Adopter Program,” said GSTC Board Chairperson Kelly S. Bricker, Ph.D. “These two iconic South American destinations are demonstrating true global leadership. We
are confident that this second and final round of our pilot program
will help us continue to incorporate diverse perspectives and improve
the Criteria and Indicators for Destinations for world-wide application through a transparent, collaborative process. “
Sustainable
Travel International’s team will visit each of the Early Adopter
destinations to meet and consult with key stakeholders, including
destination management organizations, the tourism private sector, NGOs,
community leaders, and other government agencies.
Peru
and Chile were chosen for their positive impact on the environment,
their economic and social benefits to communities, and their education
of visitors and residents, among other criteria.
“The
outcomes of the GSTC Early Adopter Program will help us to prioritize
the development of a regional destination sustainability action agenda
for Cusco, Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu. This is an important first
step for our destination,” said Fernando Santoyo Vargas, Director of
Cusco’s Destination Management Organization.
High-altitude
Cusco receives roughly 80% of visitors to Peru, and the area includes
the city of Cusco, the Sacred Valley and the world-renowned Machu
Picchu, a UNESCO Heritage Site and one of the Wonders of the World.
Cultural heritage is a defining characteristic of the region, which
features a collection of Inca ruins and archaeological sites. Cusco was
the capital of the Inca Empire and is one of the oldest continually
inhabited cities in the world.
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| Machu Picchu |
Located in south central Chile, the central Lakes Region notably features Lago Llanquihue,
the second largest lake in Chile, and the lake resort towns of
Frutillar and Puerto Varas. Tourism is economically vital to the region,
where visitors partake in outdoor recreation like skiing and hot
springs. Tourism is growing steadily across Chile, and the destination
has recently initiated a local sustainable tourism committee tasked with
ensuring that development happens with preservation of local culture,
environment and community needs in mind.
Additional
Early Adopter destinations will be announced in the coming weeks. Once
feedback has been collected and synthesized, the GSTC will develop and
distribute a final version of the Criteria and Indicators for
Destinations.
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