At the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Global Sustainable Tourism Conference in Singapore last week, the country’s visitor economy agency launched a global standard for sustainable visitor attractions and the MICE Venue Sustainability Playbook.
“These initiatives are pivotal in positioning Singapore as a leading sustainable urban destination and demonstrating our commitment to sustainability,” said Singapore Tourism Board’s chief sustainability officer, Ong Huey Hong.
“By developing world-class standards and providing the industry with practical tools, we are not only enhancing our own tourism sector but also contributing to global sustainability efforts in tourism.”
The MICE Venue Sustainability Playbook is designed to help business events venue managers to deliver a more sustainable venue experience, providing practical recommendations on improving energy efficiency, managing waste and reducing water consumption.
The book also offers a decarbonisation framework, best practice examples from business events venues in Singapore and internationally and information on government schemes which can help venues reduce their carbon emissions.
The document is built on insights from a baseline measurement initiative undertaken last year measuring the carbon emissions and water usage at Singapore’s six major business events venues. The MICE Industry Carbon and Waste Baseline found that venue emissions per attendee averaged 14.13kg of carbon dioxide, 94 per cent of which came from energy consumption.
Singapore Tourism Board also worked with the GSTC on its GSTC Attractions Criteria, to deliver a set of universal sustainable practices for visitor attractions around the world.
Attractions will be able to begin the sustainable certification process under these new criteria in 2026, with the GSTC working to prepare organisations to deliver the certification process next year.
Singapore Tourism Board and the Association of Singapore Attractions joined the advisory group that worked on the GSTC Attraction Criteria.
“Today marks a significant step forward as we introduce the GSTC Attraction Criteria, the culmination of 14 months of collaboration and dedication,” said GSTC’s CEO, Randy Durband, last week.
“We deeply appreciate the contributions of STB, who has made this possible. Together, let’s embrace this opportunity to lead the attractions sector towards a more sustainable path.”
