Agoda Partners With Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) to Promote More Sustainable Tourism in Japan

Digital travel platform Agoda collaborated with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) to organize a hotel sustainability training for industry professionals in Japan on 29-30 September at Toranomon Hills Forum. The program brought together local hoteliers for a series of sessions led by influential industry experts, aiming to provide them with the competencies and tools necessary to enhance their sustainability practices.

Throughout the training, participants immersed themselves in real-world insights drawn from best-in-class sustainability practices and actual hotel case studies. Using as a checklist the globally renowned GSTC Hotel Standard, attendees were empowered to assess their current performance and then set achievable short-, medium-, and long-term sustainability objectives.

Satomi Nakabayashi, Country Director Japan at Agoda, said, “Agoda is honored to work together with our valued hotel partners and GSTC to deliver our inaugural in-person hotel sustainability training in Japan. This initiative, a modest yet important step, aligns with our collective vision to promote more sustainable tourism. With the right knowledge and tools, we aim to accelerate this evolution.”

Emi Kaiwa, GSTC Finance Director, commented, “Sustainability in tourism flourishes when industry leaders join forces with a shared purpose. Agoda’s commitment to supporting hotel professionals in Japan reflects not only a dedication to building skills, but also to nurturing a tourism sector that protects cultural heritage, values local communities, and safeguards nature for generations to come. Together with Agoda, we are taking meaningful steps toward a more responsible and resilient future for tourism in Japan.”

To date, over five hundred and fifty industry professionals have taken part in the in-person hotel sustainability trainings organized by Agoda and GSTC as part of the Sustainable Tourism Academy initiative across nine markets, including South Korea, Singapore, and Thailand. Among the participants of the inaugural edition in Tokyo were senior executives from both global and local hotel brands.