The GSTC MICE Criteria have been published and made available to the public for non-commercial usage, as announced by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council® (GSTC®). With assistance from the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), the GSTC MICE Criteria were developed for Venues, Event Organisers, and Events & Exhibitions. These criteria will direct enterprises towards adopting sustainable practices in response to the increasing emphasis on sustainability.
The global standards for sustainability in travel and tourism are the GSTC Criteria. The Criteria serve as a foundation for certification, are employed in measurement and assessment, and are utilised in policy-making for corporations, organisations, and governmental bodies. They are organised into four pillars: (A) sustainable management; (B) socioeconomic implications; (C) cultural impacts; and (D) environmental impacts. They are the outcome of an international effort to create a common language concerning sustainability in tourism.
After the GSTC Destination Criteria and the GSTC Industry Criteria (for hotels and tour operators), the GSTC MICE Criteria make up the third set of GSTC Criteria. Currently, the GSTC Attraction Criteria are being developed.
The GSTC MICE Criteria are designed to give a global awareness of sustainable practices in the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) business and to operate as the global sustainability standards for MICE enterprises.
The MICE industry is growing steadily, and the demand for sustainable tourism is rising as well. For this reason, it is critical to create global standards that require all MICE industry subsectors to follow sustainable practices. The GSTC MICE Criteria are the minimal standards that any MICE business should aim to meet. They have been developed for the following subsectors: Venues, Event Organisers, and Events & Exhibitions.
“We are pleased to announce the official release of the GSTC MICE Criteria for Venues, Event Organisers, and Events & Exhibitions, following a year of dedicated work and effort. We acknowledge the important role the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has played in its development.” The CEO of GSTC, Randy Durband, adds, “Let’s benefit from this chance to greatly progress the MICE industry’s journey towards sustainability.”
“Our collaboration with the GSTC and SACEOS to develop the GSTC MICE Criteria underscores Singapore’s unwavering commitment to sustainable tourism and solidifies our position as a leading MICE destination,” stated Yap Chin Siang, Deputy Chief Executive, Singapore Tourism Board. “An important turning point in this process has been reached with the introduction of the MICE Criteria, which gives industry participants the means to prosper in and contribute to a sustainable tourism environment. I urge everyone involved in the MICE ecosystem to adopt the standards and take the lead in creating a more environmentally friendly travel industry.”
With the unveiling of its MICE Sustainability Roadmap in 2022, the Singapore Tourism Board demonstrated that it was committed to achieving its sustainability objectives. Among other things, this involves implementing regional recommendations that provide MICE stakeholders with best practices for establishing objectives for waste management, cutting back on waste categories, and improving carbon emission control. In order to enhance an organization’s sustainability performance and investigate methods for organising sustainable events, it has also collaborated closely with the Singapore Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers (SACEOS) and other public and commercial stakeholders.
