Agoda and GSTC Mark One Year of Sustainable Tourism Academy Success as ASEAN Expansion, New Language Support, and 3,000 Users Strengthen Asia’s Responsible Travel Future

Written By: Pritam Nath

Pritam Nath

Pritam Nath is a published writer, journalist, and media researcher with over seven years of experience in journalism, content creation, and strategic communication. He specializes in media studies, journalism and mass communication, content strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. A certified journalist, he has produced research-driven news, feature stories, and industry analysis across media, travel, tourism, hospitality, culture, and strategic communication. Combining academic expertise with practical experience in digital publishing, Pritam creates insightful, engaging, and credible content that informs diverse audiences. He continues to explore emerging trends in global media, journalism, tourism, and digital communication while developing impactful content strategies.

See Full Bio

June 29, 2026 12:00 GMT+5:30

Image generated with Ai

The Sustainable Tourism Academy, launched jointly by Agoda and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), has completed its first full year by reaching more than 3,000 registered users while expanding its role as one of Asia’s leading digital learning platforms for sustainable tourism. The milestone reflects the growing commitment of hospitality professionals, hotel operators, tourism businesses, and students across the region to adopt internationally recognized sustainability standards. As global tourism continues its recovery, destinations are increasingly focusing on responsible growth, environmental stewardship, and community development, making professional sustainability education a strategic priority for the travel industry.

The anniversary also marks a significant regional breakthrough, with the Academy earning recognition from ASEAN as an important capacity-building resource for tourism stakeholders. Alongside new collaborations with ASEAN Member States, the platform has expanded language accessibility by introducing Japanese and Korean, bringing its total language offerings to seven. Combined with Agoda and GSTC’s in-person sustainability training programs that have been running since 2022, the initiative has now reached more than 3,500 hospitality professionals across Asia, reinforcing efforts to create a more resilient, competitive, and environmentally responsible tourism sector while supporting hotels in aligning with globally accepted sustainability standards.

Sustainable Tourism Academy Reaches Major First-Year Milestone

The first anniversary represents a significant achievement for both Agoda and GSTC as the Academy continues to attract hospitality professionals seeking practical sustainability knowledge. Since its launch, more than 3,000 learners have registered for online courses focused on responsible hotel operations, environmental management, and internationally recognized GSTC Hotel Standards.

When combined with face-to-face sustainability training sessions delivered since 2022, the partnership has now educated over 3,500 tourism professionals across Asia. The initiative demonstrates how digital education can accelerate sustainable tourism adoption by making professional training accessible regardless of location.

First-Year Academy Highlights

ASEAN Recognition Strengthens Regional Tourism Collaboration

One of the Academy’s most significant developments is its recognition by ASEAN as a valuable regional resource for tourism capacity building. The endorsement aligns closely with ASEAN’s long-term strategy of promoting sustainable, resilient, and high-quality tourism throughout Southeast Asia.

Going forward, Agoda and GSTC will work alongside ASEAN Member States to further expand the Academy’s reach. The collaboration supports implementation of the ASEAN Tourism Sectoral Plan (ATSP) 2026–2030, helping tourism businesses improve sustainability performance through internationally accepted best practices.

Regional policymakers believe practical education initiatives such as the Sustainable Tourism Academy can strengthen destination competitiveness while encouraging responsible tourism development that balances economic growth with environmental protection and community well-being.

India Leads Strong Regional Participation

The Academy has attracted users from across Asia, highlighting the region’s growing interest in sustainable hospitality management. India has emerged as one of the largest participating markets, alongside Thailand and Malaysia.

Other countries with significant participation include Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. The diverse user base reflects increasing awareness among tourism professionals that sustainability has become a key factor in long-term business success.

Participants represent every segment of the hospitality industry, ranging from international hotel chains to independent accommodation providers and hospitality students preparing for future careers.

Major Participating Markets

Hospitality Industry Shows Broad Engagement

The Academy has attracted learners from internationally recognized hospitality companies as well as independent tourism businesses. Professionals from hotel groups including Accor, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, and ONYX Hospitality Group have participated in the online learning platform.

Hospitality education institutions have also embraced the Academy. Students from organizations such as the Asian Institute of Hospitality Management are using the courses to strengthen their understanding of sustainable tourism principles before entering the industry.

This mix of experienced professionals and future hospitality leaders demonstrates growing industry-wide acceptance that sustainability skills are becoming essential for long-term competitiveness.

Seven Languages Improve Accessibility Across Asia

To make sustainability education more accessible, the Academy now supports seven languages. English, Vietnamese, Malay, Thai, Indonesian, Japanese, and Korean allow hospitality professionals to learn using content tailored to their preferred language.

The recent addition of Japanese and Korean expands the Academy’s geographic reach while reducing language barriers that can limit professional development. Localized learning resources also help participants better understand practical sustainability implementation within their own operational environments.

The multilingual approach supports Agoda’s objective of providing hotel partners with practical educational resources that align with global sustainability standards while remaining relevant to local markets.

Languages Available on the Academy

Most Popular Courses Focus on Practical Sustainability

User enrollment trends indicate strong interest in both introductory sustainability knowledge and implementation-focused training. The Academy’s most popular courses cover GSTC Standards & Performance Indicators, GSTC Certification, and Developing a Sustainable Policy and Strategy.

These subjects help hospitality professionals understand internationally recognized sustainability frameworks while providing practical guidance for integrating responsible tourism practices into daily hotel operations.

The emphasis on certification and strategic planning also reflects growing market demand for hotels that can demonstrate measurable sustainability performance to travelers, investors, and tourism authorities.

Most Popular Academy Courses

Sustainable Tourism Education Becomes a Competitive Advantage

As travelers increasingly seek environmentally responsible accommodation and destinations, sustainability education is becoming an important competitive advantage for tourism businesses. Digital learning platforms such as the Sustainable Tourism Academy enable hotels of every size to access internationally recognized knowledge without significant training costs.

The Academy’s first-year success illustrates how partnerships between technology companies and sustainability organizations can accelerate industry transformation by making professional education widely accessible. With ASEAN support and expanding multilingual resources, the initiative is positioned to play an increasingly important role in helping Asia’s tourism sector achieve long-term sustainable growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the Sustainable Tourism Academy?
It is a free online learning platform created by Agoda and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) to help hospitality professionals understand and implement sustainable tourism practices.

2. How many users has the Academy reached?
The Academy has surpassed 3,000 registered online users during its first year.

3. How many hospitality professionals have benefited overall?
Including in-person training programs since 2022, more than 3,500 hospitality professionals have participated.

4. Which organization developed the sustainability standards used in the courses?
The courses are based on the GSTC Hotel Standard developed by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.

5. Which countries have the largest number of users?
India, Thailand, and Malaysia currently represent the Academy’s largest user bases.

6. How many languages are available?
The Academy supports seven languages: English, Vietnamese, Malay, Thai, Indonesian, Japanese, and Korean.

7. Why is ASEAN recognition important?
ASEAN recognizes the Academy as a valuable resource for strengthening sustainable tourism knowledge and supporting regional tourism development.

8. What are the Academy’s most popular courses?
The leading courses include GSTC Standards & Performance Indicators, GSTC Certification, and Developing a Sustainable Policy and Strategy.

9. Who can enroll in the Sustainable Tourism Academy?
Hospitality professionals, hotel operators, tourism businesses, independent accommodation providers, and hospitality students can benefit from the platform.

10. Why is sustainability education becoming important for tourism?
It helps tourism businesses improve environmental performance, meet international standards, strengthen competitiveness, and respond to growing traveler demand for responsible and sustainable travel experiences.