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GoldenGuest is a cultural awareness certification for travelers. Our city guides teach you local etiquette, help you discover authentic experiences, and prepare you to be a guest that hosts and communities welcome back.

Anyone booking short-term rentals who wants to travel respectfully, especially if your host has asked you to get certified before confirming your booking.

Your annual membership includes:

• Access to all city guides
• Verifiable badges for each city you complete
• Your digital GoldenGuest Passport to share with hosts
• Optional lifestyle modules (pet owners, families with kids, etc.)
• Partner perks from local businesses that value conscious travelers

Each city guide takes about 15 minutes. You'll learn local essentials, complete a short quiz, and earn your badge immediately upon completion.

Your digital GoldenGuest Passport displays your active member status and all your earned badges. You can share a link directly with hosts during the booking process, or show the QR code on your phone.

Yes! Once you earn your Paris badge, for example, it's yours to share with any Paris host, for any booking, as long as your membership is active.

Badges remain valid while your membership is active. If your membership lapses, your badges are preserved but not shareable until you resume your membership.

Absolutely. Many members complete guides before deciding where to travel. It's a great way to discover what makes each city unique.

Your membership renews automatically each year. We'll notify you before renewal, and you can cancel anytime from your account.

Yes. If you're not traveling for a while, you can pause your membership for up to 24 months. Your earned badges are preserved and reactivate when you resume.

We believe cost shouldn't block respectful travel. If you're facing financial hardship, you can request a complimentary membership through our community waitlist. As a non-profit initiative, we depend on contributions from our members to open free spots.

If you're unsatisfied within the first 14 days and haven't completed any certifications, contact us for a full refund.

Accountability. Hosts can verify your status instantly. Unlike platform reviews that can be reset by deleting a profile, your GoldenGuest trustworthiness stays with you for the life of your membership.

We take reports seriously. Depending on severity:

• Minor issues: You'll receive a notice and guidance on what went wrong.
• Repeated or serious issues: Your membership may be suspended.
• Severe violations: Your membership may be permanently revoked.

We always hear your side before taking action.

Yes. GoldenGuest is built on trust. If hosts or communities report behavior that violates the principles you certified to uphold, your membership can be suspended or revoked. This is what makes your badge meaningful. It's not just participation, it's accountability.

If your membership is suspended (not permanently revoked), you can regain it by completing our Civic Refresher module. This short course revisits the fundamentals of respectful travel and requires acknowledgment of what went wrong. After completion, your membership reactivates and your badges are restored.

You can appeal any decision. We review appeals within 7 days and may request additional information from both parties. Our goal is fairness.

Ask your guest to share their GoldenGuest Passport link or show their badge QR code. You can verify authenticity instantly on our website. The badge will show as valid, suspended, or expired.

Report it through our host portal. Your report helps us maintain the integrity of the certification and protects future hosts. We'll investigate and take appropriate action.

No. Verifying guest badges is always free. We're here to help you host with confidence.

We'd love to partner with you! Visit our Partners page to learn how your business can reward conscious travelers and gain visibility among guests who value local culture.

Our guides are shaped by local voices: residents, hosts, cultural advisors, and community organizations. Visit our Collaborate page to share your perspective and help us get it right.