The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is pleased to announce the launch of its new course, Animal Welfare in Tourism Training, a new learning offering developed as a natural next step in GSTC’s broader work to strengthen ethical and science-based approaches to animal welfare in tourism. This course is developed in partnership with ANIMONDIAL and Animal Wise. This course builds on the foundation established through the Roundtable for Animal Welfare in Tourism (R4AWT), an initiative launched by GSTC last year, to bring together diverse stakeholders and expert perspectives to improve clarity, consistency, and practical application of animal welfare principles across the tourism sector.

The course also draws from the key observations and outcomes presented in the first R4AWT Roundtable Report on Animal Welfare in Tourism, which highlighted the need for clearer guidance, stronger competence, and more consistent interpretation of animal welfare across tourism operations. The report identified education, transparency, and continuous improvement as essential to advancing animal welfare in tourism, and explicitly noted GSTC’s development of a specialized animal welfare training course in response.

In parallel, the newly published GSTC Animal Welfare Glossary aims to establish a shared understanding of animal welfare terminology, supporting consistent application of animal welfare principles across the tourism sector.

“The GSTC Animal Welfare in Tourism Training is a natural progression of the work initiated through the Roundtable for Animal Welfare in Tourism. Animal welfare remains a complex and evolving issue within the tourism sector, requiring greater understanding, consistent terminology, and more informed decision-making. By translating the key discussions, findings, and terminology developed through this process into a practical learning format, the course aims to support tourism professionals in strengthening their knowledge of animal welfare and advancing a more informed, responsible, and thoughtful approach across the sector,” said GSTC Training Program Manager, Dr. Jisun Kim. 

As animal welfare becomes an increasingly important issue across tourism experiences involving wildlife, domestic animals, and animals under human care, this course is intended to help tourism professionals better understand the principles, terminology, responsibilities, and practical considerations that support more responsible decision-making and improved outcomes for animals.