Sustainable Tourism Criteria for India Launched

Mr. Vinod Zutshi, Secretary Ministry of Tourism, launched the Implementation of the Sustainable Tourism Criteria for India (STCI) in association with Ecotourism Society of India (ESOI).He recalled the MOU signed in March 2016 between ESOI and Government of India to launch the STCI programme across India. Mr. Zutshi indicated the importance given to sustainable tourism in the

National Tourism Policy that is to be released soon.

The Sustainable Tourism Criteria for India (STCI) had been developed for the accommodation, tour operators and beaches, backwaters and lakes sectors of the tourism industry after thorough discussions with the stakeholders.

The STCI follow the guidelines set by the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC) that has been evolved under the guidance of the United Nations’ agencies viz. UNEP and UNWTO.

The STCI were developed with the need for developing criteria for sustainable tourism specific to India given the specific environment that India’s tourism industry operates in and drawing inspiration from India’s attainments in sustainability.

After much deliberations, the STCI were defined finally launched on 26th August 2014 by the then Minister of Tourism in Hyderabad in association with the leading Travel Trade Associations.