This week, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) officially launched the Report on GSTC Roundtable for Animal Welfare in Tourism Report (R4AWT), marking an important milestone in strengthening how animal welfare is embedded within global tourism standards. 

The R4AWT brought together a diverse group of experts from conservation organisations, certification bodies, tourism operators, industry associations, and the global zoo and aquarium community. WAZA participated in a consultative capacity through Paula Cerdán, Head of Conservation and Animal Welfare. 

The Roundtable focused on improving the clarity, consistency, and enforceability of animal welfare requirements within GSTC’s revised Hotel and Tour Operator Standards (2025). Rather than creating a separate certification scheme, the process strengthened existing GSTC standards by: 

• Embedding science-based animal welfare principles across certification criteria 
• Strengthening alignment across Attraction, Hotel, and Tour Operator standards 
• Developing clearer and precise terminology and a shared conceptual framework 
• Supporting auditor competence through dedicated training and guidance 
• Reducing ambiguity and risks of greenwashing 

Central to the discussions was the use of outcome-based, science-led approaches, including the Five Domains Model of Animal Welfare, and recognition that legal compliance alone is not sufficient to safeguard animal well-being and that a number of zoo and aquarium evaluation schemes, compliant with WAZA’s 2023 Animal Welfare Goal, should be recognised. The Roundtable also emphasised education, transparency, and continuous improvement as more effective drivers of change than purely punitive approaches. 

For the global zoo and aquarium community, this report reinforces the importance of credible, science-based welfare frameworks and strengthens alignment between tourism standards and established guidance from organisations such as WAZA. By contributing expertise and participating in the dialogue, WAZA helped ensure that animal welfare considerations reflect practical experience from institutions caring for animals under human care and supporting wildlife conservation. 

Paula Cerdán, Head of Conservation and Animal Welfare at WAZA, noted: 

“Advancing animal welfare in tourism requires collective action. The R4AWT brought together animal welfare experts from the wider tourism sector and the global zoo and aquarium community to share knowledge, map existing guidance, and take shared responsibility for ethical interactions with, and care for, wildlife – both in the wild and under human care.” 

The report outlines next steps, including the integration of strengthened animal welfare provisions into the GSTC 2025 standards, the development of a formal Animal Welfare Glossary, and the launch of a dedicated Responsible Animal Welfare Practices training programme for auditors and tourism stakeholders. 

We encourage members to read the full report, reflect on its implications for accreditation, partnerships, and tourism-related activities, and make use of the guidance to further strengthen animal welfare practice.