At our annual Fall Industry Exchange, alongside the kickoff of our Sustainable Tourism Learning Series and educational workshop with Dr. Sonya Graci, we were proud to announce our achievement of GreenStep Solutions’ Sustainable Tourism Destination Certification – marking a significant milestone in sustainable tourism development for our Hamilton Halton Brant region.
This bronze-level certification follows a two-year assessment of our region’s environmental, socio-economic, natural, cultural, and management practices and certification aligns with Global Sustainable Tourism Council standards and UN Sustainable Development Goals. With this certification, RTO3 joins an elite group of over ten Canadian destinations certified by GreenStep.
“Achieving this certification demonstrates our region’s dedication to building a more sustainable and resilient tourism sector,” says Maria Fortunato, Executive Director. “What makes this particularly meaningful is that it represents the beginning of a collaborative journey with our stakeholders across Hamilton, Halton, Brant, Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.”
Bev Scott, Manager of Business and Visitor Experience Development and manager of the GreenStep Destination Certification initiative, outlines the organization’s next steps: “Building on this foundation, we’ve developed a comprehensive roadmap that includes establishing a Destination Sustainability Committee, implementing a Regional Sustainability Action Plan, and signing the Sustainable Tourism 2030 Pledge.”
Click here to read the media release from Greenstep.
Learn more about our sustainability journey here, or get in touch with Hamid Dwyer, our Destination Sustainability Officer, to learn how you can get involved.
