R
Responsible
Responsible with the natural environment that wine landscapes depend on — soil, water, biodiversity and heritage.
About the organization
The global home of responsible enotourism.
GWTO — together with GWTO Academy — is a worldwide network where entities and independent professionals from the public, private and academic sectors work toward a single shared goal: advancing responsible, sustainable and satisfying wine tourism in every producing region.
The Framework
Three letters that define every GWTO destination.
S
Sustainable
Sustainable over time — economically viable for growers, villages and regional operators, not just a seasonal trend.
S
Satisfying
Satisfying for both visitors and local residents — experiences that welcome guests without hollowing out the community.
Together: Responsible RSS EnoTourism® — the shared commitment every member signs up to.
Mission
Socio-economic development of wine-producing regions.
Objective
Wine regions, transitioned into responsible destinations.
The Strategic Plan
Five interlocking pillars.
Each pillar carries one line of action — together they turn the RSS framework into tangible impact for destinations, operators and travellers.
The Strategic Plan
01 / 05
GWTO Academy
Research & Education.
A comprehensive training programme on Responsible RSS Wine & Food Tourism Management — co-built with leading universities, delivered locally by partner institutions across three continents.
- Modular curriculum for wineries, destinations, guides
- Active campuses in China, Mexico, Argentina
- Research feeds directly into GWTO governance
Structure
GWTO Corporate Chart.
Governance, management, regional leadership and operational divisions in a single view — from the Governing Board down to MICE, Booking and Research.
GWTOCorporate Chart
Advisory Body
Governing BoardPresident
Administration
Legal
Management BodyCEO
GWTO AcademyRegional Directors
IIRR Development
Marketing
Communication
GWTORegional Directors
Country Delegates
Country Delegates
Research
Education
Branding
Data
Int'l Certificate
Papers
Training
MICE
Product
Booking
Leadership
A team spanning five continents.
Regional directors coordinate activities across LatAm, Eastern Asia, EurAsia, Africa, Western Europe, Oceania and North America.
JV
José Antonio Vidal
Founder President · CEO
RA
Rafael Ansón
President of Honor
CH
Coralie Haller
GWTO Academy Director
PS
Pablo Singerman
Regional Director·LatAm
MC
Margaret Chen
Regional Director·Eastern Asia
MN
Marieah Nieuwoudt
Regional Director·Africa
EW
Erik Wolf
Regional Director·Western Europe
RS
Robin Shaw
Regional Director·Oceania
DF
David Furer
Regional Director·North America
Why Join Us
Whoever you are, there's a way in.
Join · GWTO
Transition your wine region into a recognised destination.
International recognition
Earn the GWTO–Biosphere® Certificate — a credibility mark recognised by travellers, investors and partners.
Global stage
Place your destination on the Wine & Food Tourism world map across summits, members and the booking platform.
Coo-petition
Compete while collaborating — every member's success raises the standard for the wider region.
Join · GWTO Academy
Co-build the curriculum that defines responsible enotourism.
Research-for-education
Deliver the comprehensive RSS programme co-built with leading universities worldwide.
Cross-region exchange
Share faculty, students and case studies across an active Academy network on three continents.
Shared commitment
Every partner upholds the RSS principles — Responsible, Sustainable, Satisfying — across every cohort.
Pathways In
Find your way in.
Four entry tracks. Pick the one that matches who you are, and we'll tailor the conversation from there.
I
Governments & Destinations
Put your wine region on the world map.
Start the conversationII
Associations & Wineries
Reach travellers who care how wine is made.
Start the conversationIII
Academic Institutions
Bring the GWTO Academy to your country.
Start the conversationIV
Independent Professionals
Lend your expertise to a global movement.
Start the conversation
The Certification Pathway
The Biosphere® Certificate.
The international certification that distinguishes destinations and establishments committed to Responsible, Sustainable and Satisfying Wine & Food Tourism — measured against twelve criteria across service quality, environmental impact, accessibility, local economy and cultural identity.
Four-stage process · green to gold
Certification Process
From plan to Biosphere®.
A continuous journey: self-assessment, audit eligibility, verification and international recognition.
1
Step 01
Sustainable Responsibility Plan
On-line access to the GWTO Biosphere® methodology and know-how for the identification of good practices across the entity.
2
Step 02
Unlock the Audit Service
Provide the respective evidence against each criterion. Once audit eligibility is confirmed, the process is scheduled — taking up to 20 working days.
3
Step 03
Biosphere® Audit Process
Documentation review, gap assessment, areas requiring improvement, recommendations — completed with a face-to-face verification visit.
4
Step 04
Biosphere® Certificate
On successfully passing the audit and fulfilling the criteria, the International GWTO Biosphere® Certificate is officially awarded.
- 1
Step 01
Sustainable Responsibility Plan
On-line access to the GWTO Biosphere® methodology and know-how for the identification of good practices across the entity.
- 2
Step 02
Unlock the Audit Service
Provide the respective evidence against each criterion. Once audit eligibility is confirmed, the process is scheduled — taking up to 20 working days.
- 3
Step 03
Biosphere® Audit Process
Documentation review, gap assessment, areas requiring improvement, recommendations — completed with a face-to-face verification visit.
- 4
Step 04
Biosphere® Certificate
On successfully passing the audit and fulfilling the criteria, the International GWTO Biosphere® Certificate is officially awarded.
What earns the Biosphere®
Twelve criteria. One certificate.
Every certified destination and establishment is audited against these twelve criteria — grouped under three pillars.
Pillar I
03 criteriaService Quality — How visitors are met.
Transparent Communication
Training
Metrics
Pillar II
06 criteriaFacilities & Environment — Where the experience happens.
Security & Emergency
Equipment & Maintenance
Identity, History & Culture
Local Impact
Education & Awareness
Environmental Impact
Pillar III
03 criteriaActivities Offered — What guests do.
Local Economy
Accessibility & Inclusion
Responsible Production
The Pathway
Four stages — green to gold.
01
Self-assessment
02
Audit
03
Verification
04
Recognition
Host a Future Summit
Put your region on the global enotourism map.
Expressions of interest are open from candidate host destinations for the 2027, 2028 and 2029 editions of the GWTO Global Summit on Responsible Wine & Food Tourism.