MAP (Market Access Program)
GSTC promotes market access for certified sustainable businesses to travelers and travel providers of hotels/accommodations, with a strong preference for those businesses certified by GSTC-Accredited Certification Bodies(accredited certifications). Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) are responding to market demand for sustainable product, external ESG reporting requirements, and to their internal CSR and sustainability goals, by seeking methods to provide easy and clear access to sustainable products and services to the marketplace of travelers. OTAs wish to highlight with a mark and provide their users a filter to identify “sustainable” hotels based on a reliable source of information.
Travellers increasingly seek eco-friendly and socially responsible options, and incorporating accommodations with accredited certification into the OTA's platform can present to customers with a trusted selection of sustainable choices, responding to the growing market demand for sustainable products.
Through the Market Access Program, our OTA Partners get regular updates on the certified and verified accommodations as we collect this information from Certification Bodies and Recognized Standard Owners (RSO) on a regular basis. Businesses certified by a GSTC-Accredited Certification Body, meeting all the GSTC Criteria (or a GSTC-Recognized Standard), have the highest level of assurance and credibility available. With an accredited certification, customers and buyers are assured that the business was certified in a credibly verified procedure in a transparent, impartial, and competent manner.
OTAs and distributors of hotel booking or other travel companies that wish to highlight/promote sustainable accommodations can contact GSTC to receive a list of sustainable hotels according to the GSTC Market Access Program.
Eligibility to Participate in the MAP
The GSTC Market Access Program (MAP) currently has two levels of filtering eligibility:
Main Filter: Accredited Certification
Hotels/accommodations certified by a GSTC-Accredited Certification Body (having “accredited certification”) are and remain eligible for inclusion in the program. Read More
List of Accredited Certification Bodies, participating in the MAP
Second Filter: Conditional Verification to Certain Standards
GSTC currently supports an additional second lower level filter, making eligible those hotels/accommodations verified by Standard Owners that use a GSTC-Recognized Standard (i.e., a standard that formally includes within it the GSTC Criteria). The inclusion of the second filter is a temporary measure to boost and establish the Market Access Program while recognizing the sustainability efforts of the accommodations that have been verified by Recognized Standard Owners. Read More
List of GSTC-Recognized Standards, eligible to be included in the MAP
Benefit
Credibility
As accredited certification provides the highest level of assurance, the Market Access Program can enhance the credibility of their sustainability strategy.
Access to Certified Suppliers
As accredited certification provides the highest level of assurance, the Market Access Program can enhance the credibility of their sustainability strategy.
Market Expansion
As accredited certification provides the highest level of assurance, the Market Access Program can enhance the credibility of their sustainability strategy.
Compliance
As accredited certification provides the highest level of assurance, the Market Access Program can enhance the credibility of their sustainability strategy.
Examples of OTAs Feature Sustainable Accommodations
Below are examples of how various OTAs in the Market Access Program showcase certified hotels on their websites.
