The world’s leading travel & tourism Certification Organisations have announced the launch of the Tourism Sustainability Certifications Alliance (TSCA), a new registered association dedicated to fostering a global tourism industry that thrives on sustainability. Tourism businesses and travellers alike will benefit from unified sustainability standards and certification, according to TSCA.
With sustainability being embraced by all major industries, travel and tourism businesses are calling for simpler solutions to assist with sustainable management, attaining independent certification, and achieving continuous improvement.
At the same time, the popularity of sustainability is causing a proliferation of greenwashing and targeting travellers with unsubstantiated green claims.
TSCA Chairperson, Elissa Keenan said, “Our industry and travellers are demanding a transparent system of certification that can be trusted to promote the best in sustainable tourism and eliminate greenwashing. The TSCA has been incorporated by its founding members as a collaborative certification platform for the tourism industry and to ensure that travellers make informed choices based on reliable sustainability standards.”
TSCA board members: (from left) Billy Bishop – Travelife for Accommodation; Daniel Schaffer – FEE; Patricio Azcárate Díaz de Losada – Biosphere: Instituto de Turismo Responsable; Elissa Keenan – Ecotourism Australia; Naut Kusters – Travelife for Tour Operators; Birte Pelayo – Green Globe Certification; Gary Graham – Green Key Global; Albert Salman – Good Travel Seal; Marco Giraldo – Tourcert.
Under this new alliance, the TSCA has established a minimum sustainable tourism standard, which serves as the baseline that all members will align with. This standard, alongside independent auditing procedures ensures consistency and credibility in sustainability management. The minimum standard will continue to serve all currently certified businesses and destinations while providing a unified system to meet the growing demand for independent certification of sustainable tourism management and performance.
The next steps for the TSCA will be to assist tourism businesses in satisfying the requirements of emerging consumer protection legislation, such as the upcoming EU Green Claims Directive introduced to eradicate greenwashing.
To provide greater access to certification for more tourism businesses, the TSCA will continue to streamline systems and refine and align reporting standards, criteria, benchmarks, and other requirements related to certification. By growing the number of certified businesses, travel consumers will benefit from being able to purchase travel options with green credentials independently audited and supported by documented evidence.
TSCA Chairperson, Elissa Keenan added, “Collectively, TSCA members are responsible for certifying more than 19,000 travel and tourism enterprises, organisations, and destinations. For over 30 years, the world’s most recognised travel brands and destinations have relied on us to provide independent and creditable certification of their sustainable practices. The trust and recognition we have built over decades, with businesses and travellers alike, is the ongoing legacy the TSCA will build on to ensure that travel & tourism remains a positive force for communities, enterprises, and the environment.”
By fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing, TSCA aims to create a strong and resilient tourism sector that not only meets regulatory requirements but also exceeds the expectations of conscientious consumers. “Together we are building a sustainable future for tourism, ensuring that it remains a positive force for communities, economies and the environment, ” says Elissa Keenan, CEO of Ecotourism Australia.
Ecotourism Australia are a founding member of the new global organisation of certifying bodies, the Tourism Sustainability Certifications Alliance (TSCA)
About TSC Alliance
The Tourism Sustainability Certifications Alliance is an association of leading sustainable travel and tourism certification organisations from around the world. Its founding members include Biosphere: Instituto de Turismo Responsable; Ecotourism Australia; Foundation for Environmental Education (Blue Flag and Green Key); Good Travel Seal; Green Globe Certification, Green Key Global; TourCert; Travelife for Accommodation; and Travelife for Tour Operators.
For over 30 years, this group of leading internationally recognised certification organisations has been responsible for developing the industry’s best practice standards in sustainable tourism. Together, these organisations certify more than 19,000 of the world’s leading travel and tourism companies, organisations and destinations. The TSCA was formed to address best practices and improve cooperation between organisations on a global scale. Ecotourism Australia holds the inaugural chair of the TSCA. (NAN/TSC 25-02-25)
