«It is with great satisfaction that I announce the award of certification from the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, following work that ApT Val di Fassa began over a year ago and which concluded last February with an audit by experts and the subsequent compliance analysis of the numerous indicators taken into consideration. It is a source of pride for our valley to join the group of destinations that hold this certification, which commits us to working with ever greater care towards sustainability, in every aspect of the term,» says Fausto Lorenz, president of ApT Val di Fassa.
Just recently, the Val di Fassa Tourist Board has achieved GSTC compliance certification (based on adherence to over 40 international criteria for the sustainability of tourist destinations) for tourist destinations from the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (an international organisation that defines and manages global criteria for sustainability in travel and tourism, accrediting destinations, hotels and tour operators), which will be officially presented on 5 May at the headquarters of the Comun General de Fascia, during a dedicated press conference.
This global recognition, which is also the result of collaboration with Trentino Marketing, the Area Territorial Agencies (ATA) and Etifor (an environmental consultancy firm established within the University of Padua), comes at the end of a process involving analysis, initiatives – such as the Val di Fassa CleanUP Days held between September and October 2025 – and consultations, including a couple of well-attended workshops involving stakeholders, representatives of local businesses and associations, and the local community. A complex undertaking, overseen by the Product Area of ApT together with director Nicolò Weiss, which has highlighted what has already been achieved and what further potential exists in the region, building upon the pillars on which sustainability is founded. This concept, in fact, encompasses several areas: environmental sustainability, which aims to mitigate environmental impact and protect biodiversity; social and economic sustainability, aimed at maximising benefits for local communities and ensuring fair working practices, as well as protecting cultural heritage and respecting and preserving local traditions and identity; and sustainable management, which aims to implement a system geared towards continuous improvement.
Attention to these issues in the valley is not new: in 2021, the Fassa (r)Evolution project was launched, promoted by local ski lift companies, which immediately involved various stakeholders in the valley, producing, amongst other things, a shared manifesto setting out key points on which to agree, such as shared responsibility for sustainability, energy sources and efficiency, mobility and air quality, heritage and local supply chains, to name but a few. In 2023, however, the local Asat, in collaboration with local councils and the ApT, launched Fassa 2040, an initiative aimed at a development model centred on a new balance between tourist flows and quality of life.
«Attention to the local area, a sense of responsibility towards the community and the aspiration to create widespread value are part of our day-to-day operations,» says Nicolò Weiss, «but from now on, sustainability will be a priority in our strategic planning. The role of the Tourist Board will increasingly be to involve tourism operators, the local community and visitors in contributing through concrete actions to the care of the local area: "everyone can do their bit" – in short, this sums up the shared vision, which is close to our hearts, for the future of our valley.»
Fundamental to this process has been the contribution of Etifor, which supported ApT Val di Fassa in achieving an excellent result in the recent audit with Vireo (the body accredited by the GSTC for the certification of DMOs and territorial management bodies): «This process,» explains Serena De Franceschi of Etifor, «has helped the Val di Fassa Tourist Board and the local area to organise what is already being done and to give concrete form to a vision that is deeply rooted. There has been great collaboration – and this is not always a given – both from those working at the ApT, an organisation with a specific role recognised by the community, and from all the people who have contributed by providing data, opinions and experiences.»
The GSTC certification process is not just affecting Fassa but all the ApTs in Trentino, as Stefania Clemente of Trentino Marketing – ATA Area points out: «The future of destinations does not hinge simply on "sustainability" but on the responsible management of the territory. GSTC certification means adopting a governance model that balances respect for the environment with social protection and a new harmony in the relationship between visitors and the local community. Only by integrating these dimensions can we guarantee long-term value for Val di Fassa and the entire Trentino region.»
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