The Mountain IDEAL Standard

Guiding Principles for Sustainable Destination Development

The Mountain IDEAL is a sustainability standard and certification program for mountain resort communities "recognized" by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). The Mountain IDEAL provides a framework of sustainable tourism criteria and performance indicators that support any mountain destination in elevating its sustainability performance, stakeholder engagement, collaboration, and recognition as a global leader. 

The criteria and indicators within Mountain IDEAL are organized into four categories:

• Sustainable tourism management & monitoring
• Destination planning and asset protection
• Community engagement, culture, and social equity 
• Environmental resources, energy and water conservation, and waste reduction