The GSST is a national tool for the development of sustainable tourism in destinations and tourism businesses that operates under the brand Slovenia Green.
The key strategic goal of the project is to introduce and implement sustainability models into Slovenian tourism sector, since developing sustainable tourism is the only way forward if we are to preserve the most beautiful corners of our planet. The Green Scheme was developed to offer destinations and tourism businesses a concrete tool for assessing and improving their sustainability performance. Joining the Scheme provides members with benefits at the level of professional assistance in developing sustainable tourism and at the level of promotion. The Scheme is based on globally established criteria - destinations are assessed according to the Green Destinations Standard, recognized by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, while providers must obtain one of the international certificates recognized by the Scheme.
The Factory of Sustainable Tourism Goodplace is accredited by the Slovenian Tourist Board (owner and manager of the scheme) as the project partner of the Green Scheme. As the authors of the Scheme and holders of Green Destinations Standard assessment license, we carry out workshops, train sustainability coordinators, and assist in introducing sustainability certificates into businesses.
The scheme works as a quality certificate used to indicate the fulfilment of a wide range of requirements related to sustainable tourism. The main beneficiaries are destinations, protected areas and businesses (accommodations, restaurants, travel agencies, attractions).
Resources needed
The costs for developing, monitoring and coordinating the scheme are covered by the national tourism board, the ministry responsible for tourism subsidises companies to qualify for international eco-labels, participating stakeholders pay membership fees. Currently 5 people work on the scheme.
Evidence of success
Since 2015, the scheme has more than 100 holders of the Slovenia Green certificate:
- 59 destinations
- 74 accommodations
- 4 parks
- 8 travel agencies
- 4 attractions
- 17 restaurants
Due to its innovative nature, holistic and developmental approach, it has received numerous awards:
- National Geographic Destinations Leadership Award
- The World's Top 10 Sustainable Destinations 2018; ITB Berlin & Green Destinations - Best of Europe
- World's first green country by Green Destinations
Potential for learning or transfer
The presented practice is interesting for others, as it is a tried-and-tested process/scheme, specifically designed to meet all the needs of destinations and businesses, wanting more sustainable development and planning.
The best example on how this practice can act as a learning case for others, is a new handbook on Sustainable Tourism Implementation to support national sustainable tourism approaches, produced by a consortium of expert organisations – GoodPlace Slovenia, GreenCase Consulting and the Travel Foundation (for European Travel Commission).
As the ETC report on European Sustainability Schemes finds, only one destination involved in the study – Slovenia, has so far taken a systematic approach to the implementation of sustainability schemes. Therefore, one of the modules in new Handbook is based upon the experience of Slovenia Green (the green scheme), but at the same time developed in such a way, that it can be adapted for use by any national tourism organisation.
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Tags: Green, Standardisation, Sustainable tourism, Tourism
