Tourism Green Sustainable Management and Green Certification

Introduction to the Course on Tourism Green Sustainable Management & Green Certification by the EU co-funded project Sustainable Ecotourism Awareness.

On this page you will find a short introduction to Module 1 and a Slide deck with the module content.

Massimo Mercuri, co-founder of the AlterContacts Think Tank, opens the module by reframing sustainability from a peripheral "green" concern to a central business continuity requirement. He argues that the traditional view of sustainability—often limited to "saving turtles" or recycling plastic—is a "dreamer" perspective. Instead, he defines it as the deliberate design of human activities to ensure that future generations can live in equal prosperity.

Associate Professor Halil Burak Sakal introduces the SEA training by framing sustainability as a Strategic Management Approach. He identifies a significant problem in the current market: many businesses treat sustainability as a "box-ticking" exercise or a checklist rather than a core management philosophy. He emphasizes that for mentors and future auditors, the goal is to distinguish "real performance" from "good intentions".

In this session, Assoc. Prof. Halil Burak Sakal dives into the Social Pillar of sustainability, which he notes is often the weakest and hardest to measure in audits.

The final part of Module 1 addresses the Economic Pillar and emerging global trends. Sakal refutes the assumption that "profit equals sustainability," framing the problem as a "Short-term Thinking Trap". He asks: "Can this business still create value under future pressures?".

On this page you will find a short introduction to Module 2 and a Slide deck with the module content.

Professor Roberto Micera provides an academic framework for Strategic Management and Territorial Marketing. He frames the core problem of tourism as the Sustainability Trade-off—the difficult balance between generating economic income and preventing environmental/cultural degradation.

In the second part of his lecture, Professor Micera focuses on Green Marketing and Organizational Strategy for hotels. He defines a sustainable hotel as one that reduces environmental impact through its maintenance, services, logistics, and supply chain.

Levent Koseoglu, a former banker turned environmental entrepreneur, addresses the problem of Carbon Accountability in the tourism sector. He frames carbon management through the lens of financial risk and market opportunity, noting that tourism accounts for 8-9% of global emissions, with aviation being the most dangerous contributor because it releases carbon at high altitudes where its effect is 30 times more potent.

CB Ramkumar, Vice Chair of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), discusses the practical hurdles SMEs face when trying to adopt global standards. He identifies the primary problem as a Perception of Complexity. Most hoteliers view certifications like ISO or GSTC as technical burdens intended for large chains or academics, not simple family-run businesses.

On this page you will find a short introduction to Module 3 and Slide decks with the module content.

Dr. Sue Armeni, a director of risk management and public policy, provides a technical roadmap for navigating the complex landscape of international green certifications. She frames the problem as a "Maturity Fit" issue: many SMEs pursue certificates that are either too data-heavy for their current capacity or misaligned with their long-term business goals. The lecture follows a logical sequence from technical requirements to the long-term economics of maintenance.

This lesson provides a highly practical, step-by-step guide to implementing green standards in tourism facilities, with a focus on the Turkish market. The speaker identifies the core problem as the "Psychological Threshold" of management—if owners view sustainability as a cost rather than an investment, the system will inevitably collapse within months.

In this session, Dr. Armeni shifts from technical processes to the economics of Market Demand and Competitive Advantage. She argues that sustainability has reached a "Strategic Inflection Point," moving from the periphery of corporate responsibility to a "structural determinant of competitiveness".

Dr. Levent Koseoglu provides a deep dive into Carbon Neutral Tourism and the mechanics of the voluntary carbon market. He frames carbon management not as a marketing tool, but as a core financial and regulatory requirement for the 2030–2050 timeline.

Here you will find a short Individual study toolkit and a small task that will help you in grasping the topic of green certification.