GDS-Movement and TripAdvisor unveil top 10 sustainable global destinations

Tuesday, January 30, 2024

The Global Destination Sustainability Movement (GDS-Movement) and Tripadvisor have joined forces in a strategic partnership aimed at identifying and promoting sustainable travel destinations. This collaboration leverages Tripadvisor’s “Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best” Destinations Awards to highlight and commend destinations committed to sustainability.

In their collaborative efforts, the GDS-Movement and Tripadvisor have introduced a new subcategory for 2024—Best Sustainable Destinations. This category integrates review data with audited assessments of social, economic, and environmental excellence. The awards, derived from Tripadvisor users’ rankings and reviews, showcase travelers’ favorite sustainable destinations, incorporating verified GDS-Index data.

The GDS-Index, a program by GDS-Movement, operates at the destination level, measuring, benchmarking, and guiding the social, economic, and environmental sustainability strategies of tourism and events in various cities and regions worldwide. Serving as the global standard, the index tracks and enhances the regenerative contributions of a destination’s visitor economy. In 2023, it assessed sustainability efforts in 100 destinations across key performance areas aligned with the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Cities included in the GDS-Index stand out for their sustainability commitments, as reflected in Tripadvisor’s ratings. This includes destinations where Tripadvisor users actively discussed sustainability in positive English-language reviews over a 12-month period.

The Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Sustainable Destinations 2024 list by Tripadvisor highlights the top 10 global destinations favored by conscientious travelers seeking responsible choices. The list features notable European cities, with Copenhagen, Denmark, claiming the top spot. The Asia-Pacific region is well-represented, with Singapore and Melbourne earning recognition for their commendable sustainability efforts.

Tripadvisor’s Best of the Best Sustainable Destinations 2024:

1. Copenhagen, Denmark
2. Stockholm, Sweden
3. Bordeaux, France
4. Helsinki, Finland
5. Singapore, Singapore
6. Melbourne, Australia
7. Oslo, Norway
8. Brussels, Belgium
9. Galway, Ireland
10. Belfast, United Kingdom

Europe dominates the list with eight out of the top 10 environmentally and socially responsible cities. Copenhagen, Denmark, leads the pack, while cities in the Asia-Pacific region, such as Singapore and Melbourne, receive praise for their noteworthy sustainability initiatives.

Guy Bigwood, CEO and Chief Changemaker at GSD-Movement said: “We’re pleased to collaborate with Tripadvisor in recognising cities committed to environmental and social responsibility through the Travelers’ Choice “Best of the Best” Sustainable Destinations 2024. These cities serve as role models in sustainable tourism, showcasing a shared dedication to a more sustainable and resilient future in travel.”

Kristen Dalton, President of Tripadvisor, said: “Tripadvisor’s community of global travellers is passionate about sustainability as a consideration for when they’re planning trips and we’re proud to highlight such an important category. This category helps guide people looking to travel more sustainably while recognising the efforts of global destinations committed to environmental change.”

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