About

I started my professional career in 2007 by working closely with DMOs, companies, NGOs and the Development Cooperation to foster sustainable tourism and drive destination stewardship with regard to the needs of the environment and the wider community at the local, national and international level. To me successful sustainable tourism is the result of an […]

Sustainable tourism

Tourism is one of the largest industries worldwide and one of the fastest-growing economic activities globally. For many countries, especially developing countries, tourism has become the most important foreign-exchange earner and source for job creation. Besides mass tourism destinations the tourism’s potential in developing rural areas and enhancing the livelihood of the local population with regard […]

Portfolio

Consulting I offer 16 years experience in tourism consultancy predominantly focusing on the development of sustainable tourism in the national and international context, criteria/indicator development, monitoring studies and the assessment of existing tourism products and programs. To ensure sustainable success, the development proposals also address the needs of the wider community in ways that promote […]

News

GSTC-Attraction Criteria development

Nicola Koschel was assigned by GSTC to join a team of 8 experts to develop GSTC’s new Attraction Criteria. For more information see the TORs. The process started in 2023 and will be finalized until the end of 2024. Please join the first public consultation with is now open until March 15th.  Read More

Bestival Berlin

Together with her colleague Tatiana Agudelo Monguí Nicola Koschel represented the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) at Berlin’s MICE & Travel Business Festival: BESTIVAL! on 6-7 July 2023 Participants of the festival were invited to meet them at GSTC’s booth and have their say in the development of the GSTC MICE Criteria. Together they explored each criterion for venues, event organizers, and events/exhibitions and participants could comment and vote on the importance... 

GSTC-Training in Sevilla

Together with GSTC’s training director Ayako Ezaki Nicola Koschel will give a 2-day Sustainable Tourism Training prior to the GSTC Global Conference in Sevilla, Spain, on December 11th and 12th 2022. The GSTC Sustainable Tourism Course provides the knowledge and tools needed to help improve sustainability practices in travel and tourism. The training covers the GSTC Criteria, the global baseline standards for sustainability in travel and tourism, and provides best practices for... 

Moderation of certifiers panel

From January to July 2021 Nicola Koschel has been coordinating and moderating the international strategy group of COASYS (Collaborative Online Audit System), a joint initiative of TourCert together with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), The Austrian Ecolabel and Green Star Hotel Egypt. The objective is to improve verification and SDG impacts of certified tourism enterprises. The initiative recognizes that system-wide change requires collaboration and partnership. The project...