Also for 2024, Siena confirms itself as the “capital of sustainable tourism”: in fact, the splendid city of art is the first Italian one recognized internationally as sustainable with regards to the tourism sector.
In fact, as explained by the Municipality, following the audit last April (together with the accredited body Vireo), the certificate was renewed for this year Gstc – Global Sustainable Tourism Council”.
Verification of the city tourism system
In particular, the hearing concerned the verification of the tourism system of the city of Siena, committed to improving the quality of the offer by following the standards of the GSTC, the international body born from the push of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
The certification, obtained in 2023, marked the beginning of a virtuous path that sees the involvement of the territory of the tourist area, of which Siena is the leader, with the aim of making it more attractive compared to sustainability standards.
The certification lasts three years but, for each year, provides for intermediate checks to concretely view the constant improvement of sustainability performance based on four pillars:
- socio-economic sustainability
- sustainable management
- environmental sustainability
- cultural sustainability
Furthermore, from 2025, the certification will also concern all the municipalities belonging to the tourism sector “Lands of Siena“.
The improvement actions implemented
Vireo, one of the bodies accredited to issue the international GSTC certification, re-evaluated the improvement actions implemented by the administration and the “Siena” destination compared to 2023 on 15, 16 and 17 April.
During the last year, in fact, the administration has worked (with the help of Etifor, a spin-off of the University of Padua and member of the Gstc) in contact with the control room representing the various categories interested in the city and with the Area Council, given the desire to extend the certification also to the Municipalities that belong to the tourism area.
Thus, all the entities involved have engaged in discussions to structure a sustainable management of tourism capable of maximize benefits for the environment, cultural heritage and the community while reducing the negative impacts that could result.
The comparison allowed the birth of “For Good Tourism Governance in Siena“, a strategic destination plan as a key operational and programmatic tool on tourism, whose main objective is Sustainable Development and the valorization of the territory in social, environmental, cultural and economic terms.
Membership of the GSTC association
During the meeting on May 15th, the Siena City Council also decided to join the GSTC association (Global Sustainable Tourism Council) which has, among its objectives, a growing valorization of sustainable tourism and the promotion of targeted initiatives to achieve the best synergy between private economic operators and public entities in order to make a contribution to cultural, tourism and sustainability of its territory.
The path to reaching the GSTC standard has begun in 2021when, with the consultancy of the university spin-off Etifor, the Municipality of Siena undertook the commitment to become the first Italian city of art to obtain the sustainable tourism certification, an internationally recognized standard, which places Siena in the network of excellent tourist locations.
