GSTC and The Ocean Cleanup Sign MOU to Advance Sustainable Tourism and Promote Responsible Plastic Waste Management

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and The Ocean Cleanup have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen cooperation on sustainable tourism and promote responsible plastic and waste management. The agreement establishes a framework for collaboration between the two organizations, bringing together their respective expertise and networks to support greater awareness and knowledge sharing among tourism stakeholders.

Nisha Bakker, Director of New Market Development at The Ocean Cleanup, and Randy Durband, GSTC CEO, signed the MOU.

The Ocean Cleanup is a global nonprofit established under the laws of the Netherlands with a mission to rid the world’s oceans of plastic. It does this through research and development of technologies and solutions for the environmentally friendly, large-scale, and efficient extraction of waste (mainly plastics) from rivers and oceans.

Plastic pollution is a major environmental challenge for the tourism industry, especially in coastal and marine destinations where healthy ecosystems support biodiversity, local communities, and tourism activities. Addressing this challenge requires cross-sector cooperation, responsible waste management, greater awareness, and practical solutions that help prevent and reduce environmental impacts.

Through this collaboration, GSTC and The Ocean Cleanup aim to promote sustainable tourism and responsible plastic and waste management practices among their respective members, partners, and stakeholders.

As part of the cooperation, The Ocean Cleanup will join GSTC as a member, creating opportunities for engagement with the global sustainable tourism community. GSTC and The Ocean Cleanup will also explore ways to share knowledge and expertise through relevant industry platforms, including webinars, workshops, training activities, events, and other educational initiatives.

“Healthy oceans and coastlines are essential not only for nature, but also for the communities and economies that depend on them, including tourism. Tackling plastic pollution at scale requires collaboration across sectors, and the tourism industry has an important role to play. Through our partnership with GSTC, we look forward to sharing what we have learned from our work around the world and helping turn greater awareness of plastic pollution into practical action that keeps waste out of our oceans,” said Nisha Bakker, Director of New Market Development at The Ocean Cleanup.

“Plastic pollution is a global challenge that directly affects the health of our oceans, the well-being of local communities, and the long-term sustainability of tourism destinations. Through this collaboration with The Ocean Cleanup, we look forward to bringing greater attention to this issue within the tourism and travel sector, sharing knowledge and expertise, and encouraging both practical and innovative approaches to responsible waste management,” says Wendy Li, GSTC National Programs Director.

Through this Memorandum of Understanding, GSTC and The Ocean Cleanup aim to strengthen cooperation between the two organizations, raise awareness of plastic pollution amongst public and private sectors, and encourage responsible practices that protect marine environments, support tourism destinations, and the well-being of local communities that depend on them.

About The Ocean Cleanup
The Ocean Cleanup is a global nonprofit that develops and scales solutions to rid the world’s oceans of plastic. By conducting extensive research, engineering scalable solutions, and partnering with governments, industry, and like-minded organizations, The Ocean Cleanup is working to stop plastic inflow via rivers and remove legacy plastic already polluting the oceans. As of October 2026, the organization has collected over 67 million kilograms (147.7 million pounds) of trash from aquatic ecosystems around the world. Founded in 2013, The Ocean Cleanup now employs a multi-disciplined team of approximately 250 people. The organization is headquartered in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, with international operations in 12 countries.

About the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council® (GSTC®) establishes and manages the GSTC Standards, the global sustainable standards (formerly known as the GSTC Criteria). There are currently six sets: The GSTC Destination Standard for public policy-makers and destination managers, the GSTC Hotel Standard for hotels and accommodations, the GSTC Tour Operator Standard, the GSTC MICE Standard for Venues, Event Organizers, and Events & Exhibitions, the GSTC Attraction Standard for tourist attractions such as theme parks, museums, and national parks, and the GSTC Food and Beverage Standard for food and beverage businesses operating in the tourism sector.

These are the guiding principles and minimum requirements that any tourism business or destination should aspire to reach in order to protect and sustain the world’s natural and cultural resources while ensuring tourism meets its potential as a tool for conservation and poverty alleviation.

The GSTC Standards form the foundation for GSTC’s assurance role for Certification Bodies that certify hotels/accommodations, tour operators, and destinations as having sustainable policies and practices in place. GSTC does not directly certify any products or services but provides accreditation to those that do.

GSTC is an independent and neutral USA-registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization that represents a diverse and global membership, including national and provincial governments, leading travel companies, hotels, tour operators, NGOs, individuals, and communities – all striving to achieve best practices in sustainable tourism. The GSTC is an ISEAL Community Member, a Stakeholder Member of the Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated, and an Associate Member of the Inter-American Accreditation Cooperation (IAAC).