1st Sustainable Destinations Training, GSTC & GD, Feb 20-23, 2019, Skyros

Training Seminar Description

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and Green Destinations (GD) will jointly offer a 4-day Training Seminar from 20th to 23rd of February 2019, focusing on best practices in sustainable destination development and management. The Training, including hands-on field sessions, will take place in Chora of Skyros Island, Greece. Skyros is among the TOP-100 Green Destinations for 2017 and 2018, while it is one of the winners in the 'Best of Top 100 Awards’ at ITB Berlin 2018!

The official agenda of the Training Seminar is here.

The Training program will include a general training focused on the GSTC Criteria for Destinations, the global baseline standard for sustainability in travel and tourism. Based on the curriculum of the GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training Program (STTP), the GSTC training will be led by Dr. Ioannis Pappas, GSTC Trainer and Program Director for the Mediterranean Region, and delivered through the GSTC Training Partner Green Evolution SA.

Additional and more specific training on Sustainable Destinations will be offered by Green Destinations, a GSTC-Accredited certification program for destinations. The Green Destinations training, to be led by Albert Salman, helps industry professionals to progress in making destinations more sustainable, and to become engaged in destination certification and award programs. This is especially beneficial to those who (are starting to) participate in the Green Destinations certification and awards program. Participants will be directly supported in the self-assessment (sustainability reporting) of their own destination.

Throughout the offered training, field visits will be offered by the Muncipality of Skyros, where Sustainable Tourism Good Practices will be introduced on destination management, ecotourism activities and cultural heritage initiatives, including the local goat festival demostration.

Interested but already followed a GSTC STTP Training Seminar? Please inquire for your options by mailing to i.pappas@green-evolution.eu. 

This Training Seminar is organized and delivered by GSTC Training Partner GREEN EVOLUTION SA under the auspices of the municipality of Skyros Island.

The language of the Training Seminar will be ENGLISH and no translation will be availiable.

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Opportunities for Professionals, Destination Managers & Advisors

Offering in-depth insights into the GSTC Destination criteria and practical details related to the Green Destinations certification program, this Training Seminar is particularly relevant to destination managers, government officials and other professionals involved in sustainable destination management and marketing.

The followings are key benefits and additional opportunities available to training participants:

Destination Sustainability Coordinator

This Training Seminar is recommended for destination representatives who seek to play the role of a “Sustainability Coordinator” or “Destination Manager”, which is a key aspect of achieving certification by a GSTC-accredited certification body.

Auditors for Sustainable Tourism Certification

Participants who complete this Training Seminar will be able to satisfy parts (steps 1 & 2) of the training requirements towards becoming a “GSTC auditor”. A “GSTC Auditor”, in this context, refers to an auditor who operates within the framework of the GSTC’s accreditation scheme to offer auditing services for any certification body (CB) that is GSTC Accredited (each CB may request additional evaluation for becoming Auditor and / or Advisor for their Standard). For all the required parts of becoming a “GSTC auditor” see here, in section 10 (Knowledge Qualification & Competencies, Skills Qualification & Competencies, Verification of Competencies). Required steps include: (1) completing official GSTC training on the GSTC Criteria; (2) completing a technical auditor training focused on auditing techniques in sustainable tourism; (3) passing the GSTC STTP exam (minimum required score: 85%). This seminar will focus in Destinations Criteria and Auditing, and especially for the case of GREEN DESTINATIONS Standard.

GSTC STTP Exam and Certificate

Those who complete the GSTC - Green Destinations Training Seminar will qualify for the (optional) GSTC STTP exam, and upon successfully passing the exam, receive the GSTC Certificate in Sustainable Tourism.

*The exam registration fee (US$75 per person) is not included in the training class registration fee, and can be paid separately by individual training participants online via this registration form.

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What is Included in the Registration Fee

As part of your registration, training materials to be provided prior to the seminar; lunch breaks and coffee breaks during the training; a Certificate of Completion confirming your attendance in the class; and the opportunity to take the official GSTC STTP Exam. The Exam fee is not included in the training class registration fee.

Accommodation & Traveling Costs

The Training Seminar registration does not include travel to/from and within Skyros or accommodation. However, there is an option of transportation from Thessaloniki City Center or Airport to Skyros on the 19th of Feb via a private Bus that the organizer will offer for free, together with special price offers from selected hotels in Skyros for the days (19th to 23rd) of the Training Seminar (the list will be availiable in Dec 2018 via direct mail). 

For accommodation in Skyros Island, there are a number of facilities that can be booked by the participants. Special prices are reserved for the participants of this training event in PERIGIALLI HOTEL (https://www.perigiali.com) :

• Single Room, 40 Euro per night, breakfast included
• Double Room, 50 Euro per night, breakfast included

For reservations in PERIGIALLI HOTEL, please via

• Direct mail to info@perigiali.com, ref : GSTC-GD 
• Call to +302222092075 (phone) or +306974 471053 / +306972 829840 (mobile)
• Send a fax to +302222092770, ref : GSTC-GD

For Traveling by Public Transportation, there are dailiy Bus routes from Athens and back via Kimi Port. For more info please see https://www.ktelevias.gr/en/ . Based in today schedule :

• Athens > Kymi Port (around 16,70 Euro) / 19^th of Feb, Depart at 13.30
• Kymi Port > Athens (around 16,70 Euro) / 23^rd of Feb, Depart at 09.45

Boat Connection,  Port of Kimi > Skyros (12,10 Euro)

• 19^th of Feb, Depart at 17.00, Arrival at 18.50

Boat Connection,  Skyros > Port of Kimi (12,10 Euro)

• 23^rd of Feb, Depart at 08.00, Arrival at 09.50
• 24^th of Feb, Depart at 15.00, Arrival at 16.50

For Traveling by Private car, you can reach Skyros via Kimi Port and using the local Boat. For more info please see http://www.sne.gr/index-en.php 

For Traveling by Plane, Skyros Airport offers flights from / to Athens and Thessaloniki, 3-4 days per week. For more info please see 

- From Athens (Olympic Air / https://www.olympicair.com) 

• Athens > Skyros : 19^th of Feb 14.45 -> 15.25
• Skyros > Athens : 23^rd of Feb 15.50 -> 16.40

 - From Thessaloniki (Sky Express / http://www.skyexpress.gr) 

• Thessaloniki > Skyros : 20^th of Feb 11.15 -> 12.00
• Skyros > Thessaloniki : 23^rd of Feb 14.05 -> 14.50

Group Registration Options

You can sign up multiple people at the same time when registering online. Select the number of people you would like register, and you can enter contact details for each participant on the form. We also offer a discount for each group purchase of more than 5 seats. If you would like to sign up as a group of 5 and more or for students' rate, please contact us (info@green-evolution.eu) for more details.

Cancelation Policy

If a registrant is unable to attend, and providing the event organisers are informed via e-mail to info@green-evolution.eu, then the following refund arrangements apply (net ammount only, no payment fee will be refunded) : Registrations cancelled before the 28^th of Dec 2018 will be refunded 70% of the registration fees; Registrations cancelled before the 15^th of Jan 2019 will be refunded 50% of the registration fees; Registrations cancelled after the 16^th of Jan 2019 will not be eligible for a refund.