GSTC Section C recognizes that sustainability goes beyond the environment, as it includes protecting cultural heritage, strengthening local identity, and ensuring respectful guest–community engagement. Hotels are required to show how they interact with, protect, and present local culture in meaningful, responsible, and traceable ways.

Today, GCSTIMES is focusing on supporting hotels in meeting these requirements by integrating authentic cultural elements into guest touchpoints, and providing documentation hotels can submit directly for GSTC audits.

How Do We Support Hotels?

1. Culturally Integrated Key Card Design (“Storytelling Key Cards”)

• Custom-shaped key cards inspired by local building silhouettes, city landmarks, native patterns, or festival symbols.
• Natural materials such as plant-based leather or wood to connect design with sustainability and local identity
• Where appropriate, we also collaborate with community artists or cultural organizations to incorporate local IP or artistry.

This transforms the key card into a daily guest touchpoint that expresses the destination’s cultural identity and provides evidence of the hotel’s efforts under GSTC C1, C2, and C3.

2. Custom Cultural Souvenirs & In-Room Cultural Items

• Fridge magnets featuring heritage architecture, cityscape icons, native flora, or traditional symbols
• Culturally themed Do Not Disturb (DND) door hangers and table signs
• In-room product items that incorporate patterns, motifs, or stories unique to the destination

By embedding cultural narratives into functional items that guests naturally interact with, hotels can reinforce their brand identity while offering visitors a deeper connection to the local culture.

3. Cultural Design Statement (Audit Documentation Support)

We provide a structured documentation package that hotels can submit directly to auditors, including:

• Sources & provenance of cultural elements integrated into products or design
• Rationale for choosing specific cultural themes or motifs
• Methods of collaboration with local communities, artisans, cultural groups, or tourism stakeholders (if applicable)
• Design narrative describing how cultural identity is presented in guest spaces
• Sustainability alignment showing that cultural integration supports environmental and social responsibility

Thank you for following our GSTC-in-Practice series. If your property wants to strengthen low-carbon procurement, cultural presentation, or sustainability reporting, please reach out to us. GCSTIMES is ready to support your journey.