Types of GSTC Accreditation Fees

Costs for acquiring and maintaining GSTC Accreditation are divided into Application Fee, Assessment Fee, Accreditation Decision Fee, Annual Maintenance Fee, and License Fee.

Fee type

Application Fee

Fees for administration and evaluation of any accreditation application. This includes technical-scope extensions for additional Reference Standards, geographical-scope extensions, and additional certification decision-making bodies.

Fee schedule

Table of Accreditation Schedule Fees

Amounts are listed in United States dollars. Assessment travel costs and certain license fees depend on actual activity and portfolio size.

Accreditation FeesCharged forConsists ofAmount (USD)
Application Fee
Industry		 Accreditation application Base fee $4,000
Additional certification decision-making body Additional fee $4,000 each
Additional scope of tourism activity Additional fee $2,000 each
Additional Reference Standard for certification Additional fee $1,000 each
Application Fee
Destination		 Accreditation application Base fee $4,000
Additional certification decision-making body Additional fee $4,000 each
Additional Reference Standard for certification Additional fee $1,000 each
Application notes:
  • The base fee covers one Certification Body certifying one tourism activity—Hotel/Accommodation, Tour Operator, or Destination—against one GSTC or GSTC-Recognized Reference Standard.
  • The application fee also applies to renewal accreditation applications.
  • Extensions to an additional certification decision-making body or geographical location require an assessment.
  • Additional assessments are charged based on the GSTC daily rate, travel time, and expenses.
Scope Extension Application Fee
Accredited Certification Bodies only		 Additional tourism activity under the Certification-Industry scope Base fee $2,000 each
Additional Reference Standard for certification Base fee $1,000 each
Additional geographical location Base fee $500
Scope-extension notes:
  • The fee for using a GSTC Standard as an additional Reference Standard is currently waived, although GSTC still performs an administrative process and may require an assessment at the applicant’s expense.
  • A Certification Body moving from an Industry activity to Destination certification must submit a new accreditation application rather than a scope-extension application.
Assessment Fee Accreditation assessment Base fee $850 per labor-day
Accreditation assessment Travel time and expenses Determined after actual travel
Assessment notes:
  • The GSTC Standard Daily Rate is USD $850.
  • The rate applies to assessments, nonconformity follow-up, complaint investigation, accreditation transfer, and organizational-change review.
  • Travel time is charged at half the daily rate—USD $425—for journeys exceeding four hours. Travel exceeding twelve hours is charged at the full USD $850 daily rate. Transportation, accommodation, and meals are charged at actual cost.
Accreditation Decision Fee Decisions made by the Accreditation Decision-Making Committee Base fee $2,000
Decisions made by the Accreditation Decision-Making Committee Additional fee $1,000
Decision notes:
  • The fee applies to decisions to grant, extend, re-accredit, reduce, suspend, or terminate accreditation, or to take disciplinary measures.
  • When multiple decision processes occur simultaneously in one submission, each additional decision is reduced to USD $1,000.
Annual Maintenance Fee (AMF) Ongoing accreditation maintenance Includes annual surveillance assessments and continuing accreditation services.
License Fee Accredited Certification Bodies Fees applicable to certified entities vary by entity type and size.