TourCert

What TourCert does

TourCert gGmbH is a Stuttgart-based non-profit limited liability company founded in 2009 that operates a sustainability certification, qualification, and consulting system for the tourism industry. Its customers are tour operators, hotels, destination management organizations (DMOs), and other tourism businesses across DACH and Latin America, with activity in 30+ countries and certified partners in 10 countries. The company's GSTC-recognized standard addresses the EU Green Claims Directive requirement for independent third-party verification, and its 'Nachhaltiges Reiseziel' (Sustainable Destination) certification, launched in 2014 with Baden-Württemberg, was the first DACH-region certification to evaluate destinations holistically.

The product portfolio centers on TourCert Certification (a 2-3 year recurring certification with external audits), TourCert Qualified (an annual SMB-oriented qualification via Selfcheck), Consulting & Training (workshops and coaching), and the Travel for Tomorrow Academy digital learning platform. Supporting technology includes the proprietary TourCert Cockpit for sustainability KPI tracking, the Audit Manager Software used by the Tourism Audit Office (now Odonata) for standardized audits, the Selfcheck web service, and the Tourism Impact Score for measurable impact indicators. Distribution combines consultative direct sales with experienced coaches, an inside-sales team, and a digital self-service track for the Qualified program.

The revenue model is multi-stream: subscription/recurring certification fees priced by company size (starting ~900 EUR for small companies and ~300 EUR first year for Qualified), professional services fees for advisory and training, Academy subscriptions, and project co-financing (notably SECO funding for the Tourism Impact Alliance). The organization is lean, with a named team of roughly ten people including Managing Partner Marco Giraldo, Partner and Founder Günter Koschwitz, and Head of Empowerment Angela Giraldo.

Name

TourCert

Legal name

TourCert gGmbH

Website

https://tourcert.org/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

TourCert is a Stuttgart-based non-profit founded in 2009 that provides GSTC-recognized sustainability certification, qualification, consulting, and digital learning services to tour operators, hotels, and destination management organizations across DACH and Latin America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainability Certification and Consulting Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (56152)

akta.pro primary industry

Safety, Permitting & Logistics Support Services (Trip Leaders, Route Planning, Rescue Support) (THAAALAL)

Keywords

• Sustainability certification
• Tourism consulting
• Destination certification
• Sustainability training
• Tourism ESG advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Stuttgart

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Certification Services: Full certification process for tourism businesses and destinations including sustainability consulting, audit services, expert reports, and certification decision. The certification has validity of two years for initial certification (three years for recertification) for tour operators, hotels and other tourism companies, and three years for destinations.
2. TourCert Qualified: Sustainability qualification program with annual recognition. Companies sign sustainability guidelines, designate a sustainability manager, complete the Selfcheck, derive improvement measures, and undergo desktop verification by TourCert. Validity is one year with regular Selfcheck and improvement program updates required.
3. Beratung & Training: Advisory and training services on various sustainability topics, independent of certification and qualification. Includes workshops, coaching, e-learning courses, introductory workshops, strategic workshops, and distance mentoring.
4. TourCert Academy: Digital learning platform offering online courses, certification programs for sustainability managers, and professional development for tourism industry professionals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

TourCert certifies and qualifies tourism businesses and destinations against GSTC-recognized sustainability standards through a structured multi-step certification process, an accelerated annual qualification program (TourCert Qualified), bespoke consulting and training, and a digital learning academy (Travel for Tomorrow Academy). Services are delivered with intensive coaching, proprietary digital tools (TourCert Cockpit, Selfcheck, Audit Manager) and supported by the TourCert Community ecosystem of certified operators and destinations.

Product overview

TourCert is a sustainability certification and consulting organization for the tourism industry, offering a comprehensive portfolio centered on its TourCert system. The core offering consists of TourCert Certification (for travel operators, hotels, other tourism businesses, and destinations) and TourCert Qualified (accelerated qualification), supported by Consulting & Training services. The Travel for Tomorrow Academy provides digital learning, while the Tourism Impact Score enables measurable sustainability indicators. Strategic initiatives include the Tourism Impact Alliance project and the Destinos del Futuro network for Latin American destinations. The 'Nachhaltiges Reiseziel' (Sustainable Destination) certification targets destination management organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TourCert Qualified: A sustainability qualification program enabling tourism businesses to assess and improve their sustainability practices through a self-check process and annual update cycle.
• Nachhaltiges Reiseziel
• Travel for Tomorrow Academy
• Tourism Impact Score

Products and services

• TourCert Certification Comprehensive GSTC-recognized sustainability certification for tourism businesses and destinations, conducted through a multi-step process covering sustainability reporting, improvement programs and external audits by independent auditors. Certification is valid for two years (initial) or three years (recertification) for tour operators, hotels and other tourism companies, and three years for destinations.
• TourCert Qualified Accelerated annual sustainability qualification program allowing tourism businesses to qualify quickly through an online Selfcheck, sign TourCert sustainability guidelines and designate a sustainability manager, with annual desktop verification and ongoing selfcheck updates.
• Beratung & Training (Consulting & Training) Practice-oriented sustainability advisory and flexible training services for tourism businesses, including workshops, coaching, e-learning courses, introductory workshops, strategic workshops and distance mentoring, available independently of the certification and qualification programs.
• Travel for Tomorrow Academy Digital learning platform offering structured learning paths, expert content and online formats for sustainable tourism, including a certified sustainability manager track and courses for tourism industry professionals, companies and emerging talent.
• Nachhaltiges Reiseziel (Sustainable Destination) Certification Sustainability certification specifically for tourism destinations (DMOs) that considers the destination as a whole and involves all regional tourism providers, based on GSTC-recognized standards. The certification addresses environmental protection, resource conservation and preservation of natural and cultural attractions for future generations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Resource and energy savings through sustainability measures leading to cost reductions
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Tourism Sustainability Certifications Alliance (TSCA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Alliance of leading sustainability organizations in the global travel and tourism sector, founded in early 2025. TourCert is a founding member. TSCA aims to establish unified and internationally recognized standards for sustainable tourism, address greenwashing through the EU Green Claims Directive, and create sector-specific sustainability frameworks.
• Kruger CorporationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025International technology company that joined as co-owner of the Tourism Audit Office (Odonata), bringing expertise to the organization's development. Kruger Corporation supports the Audit Office's technological innovation and future-oriented auditing capabilities.
• Tourism Impact Alliance (Impact Panel)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Reflection space and exchange platform focused on impact measurement and management, as well as verification of sustainability commitments in tourism. Brings together certification bodies, standard owners, and regional sustainability networks. Developed common sustainability indicators and methodological approaches documented in a concept paper.
• Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022TourCert collaborates with GSTC on the Tourism Impact Alliance project. GSTC is a key partner for developing harmonized sustainability standards and promoting sustainable tourism practices globally. TourCert participates in GSTC summits and the 'Destinos del Futuro' network is supported by both organizations.
• Tourism Impact AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022International initiative led by TourCert in collaboration with GSTC and co-financed by SECO. Addresses the challenge of 150+ sustainability labels in tourism and aims to harmonize standards, improve sustainability performance measurement, develop impact models with KPIs, and strengthen collaboration between certification bodies.
• Tourism Audit Office (now Odonata)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint initiative of key certification standards worldwide to provide independent audits based on (soon-to-be) accredited standards. Enables standard owners to focus on value-adding coaching while benefiting from efficient, digital, and standardized audits. Reduces effort and cost associated with individual accreditation processes.
• Destinos del Futuro NetworkmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of tourism destinations in Latin America and Caribbean launched at the first GSTC summit in Santa Marta, Colombia in May 2024. Supported by TourCert, GSTC, and SECO. Currently includes seven destinations from Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and Peru, with plans to expand to Chile and Honduras. Promotes regional collaboration, knowledge exchange, and sustainable tourism development.
• TourCert CommunitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of certified destinations, tour operators, hotels, and individual travelers who use TourCert services. Offers transparent overview of all certified destinations and fosters exchange of best practices between local actors, businesses, and TourCert. Each member destination actively contributes to measurable and effective responsible tourism implementation.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Green Destinations: Green Destinations is a Netherlands-based non-profit that certifies sustainable tourism destinations globally, using a comparable Top 100 Destination Sustainability Stories program and GSTC-aligned criteria. It directly competes with TourCert's destination certification (Nachhaltiges Reiseziel) and serves the same DMO customer segment across Europe and beyond.
• EarthCheck: EarthCheck is an Australia-headquartered sustainability certification and benchmarking program for the travel and tourism industry, certifying hotels, tour operators, and destinations. It competes directly with TourCert across all three of TourCert's primary certification segments and is also a GSTC-recognized standard.
• Travelife: Travelife is a Netherlands-based sustainability certification system specifically for tour operators, travel agencies, and hotels, with GSTC recognition. It competes directly with TourCert Certification and TourCert Qualified for the same European tour operator and accommodation customers.
• Biosphere Responsible Tourism: Biosphere is a Spain-based sustainability certification system covering hotels, tour operators, and destinations with a comparable multi-tier certification approach. It competes with TourCert particularly in Mediterranean and Latin American markets, offering similar GSTC-aligned certification services.
• Green Key: Green Key is an international eco-label operated by the Foundation for Environmental Education, certifying hotels, hostels, and other tourism accommodations for environmental performance. It directly competes with TourCert's hotel certification (outside Germany) and is one of the most established tourism sustainability labels globally.

Broad incumbents

• Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC): GSTC is the global standards-setting body for sustainable tourism, of which TourCert is a recognized standard holder. While GSTC accredits certifiers rather than competing commercially, it shapes the criteria and competitive landscape within which TourCert operates, and has been a long-standing strategic partner.
• Booking.com Sustainability Program: Booking.com operates its own Travel Sustainable Program that labels accommodations on sustainability attributes, reaching over 100,000 properties globally. While not a third-party certifier, it represents the platform-driven sustainability labeling trend that competes for the same customer attention and budget as TourCert certifications.

Regional players

• Fair Trade Tourism: Fair Trade Tourism is a South Africa-based certification body for responsible tourism, focusing on fair wages, working conditions, and community impact. While geographically concentrated in Southern Africa, it competes in the same niche of tourism sustainability certification as TourCert with comparable methodology.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/TourCert
• Facebookfacebook.com/TourCert
• Instagraminstagram.com/tourcert_dach

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TourCert