Local stakeholders’ participation in sustainable tourism development: a case study on the GSTC certification process in Trentino, Italy

This study focuses on the crucial role of local stakeholders’ participation in the process of sustainable tourism development, pointing to the need for a transition towards more inclusive approaches and collaboration between local actors to ensure that tourism brings value to the territory’s inhabitants. The research is based on in-depth interviews with destination management organisation directors and sustainability managers, and on a survey carried out among local stakeholders in three destinations in Trentino (Italy) currently engaged in the process of obtaining Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) certification. A complex picture of the perceptions and expectations of local actors emerges from the analysis. Despite a clear commitment to sustainability, challenges persist in terms of information sharing with stakeholders and enabling them to become more actively involved. The importance of clear communication and proactive participation becomes particularly evident, taking into account the different competencies and interests of stakeholders. The potential of a certification process to serve as tangible evidence of a genuine commitment to sustainable management is revealed. There is a need for an interdisciplinary, multi-stakeholder approach to face the complex challenges of tourism and enrich the territories through shared values.