Global Destination Sustainability Index unveils its 2023 Sustainability Benchmark Results

Thursday, October 5, 2023

The Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDS-Index) has unveiled its 2023 sustainability benchmarking results, providing a comprehensive view of the ongoing efforts and progress of global destinations in transforming their social, environmental, supplier, and destination management practices.

In its eighth year, the GDS-Index evaluated one hundred destinations, welcoming 42 newcomers from eleven countries. These new entrants added an element of competition, with some results coming within decimal points of one another, highlighting the growing commitment to sustainability worldwide.

Gothenburg, represented by Göteborg & Co, stood out by securing the top position for the seventh time with an impressive score of 94.64%. This accomplishment showcased Gothenburg’s excellence across all evaluation criteria. Oslo ascended from tenth place to second, thanks to its enhanced strategy and implementation, while Copenhagen retained its third place position. Helsinki made a significant leap from twelfth place in 2022 to fourth place this year. Notably, eight of the top ten cities are located in Nordic countries, reflecting the region’s strong sustainability focus.

Beyond Europe, the GDS-Index noted positive developments in other regions. Seventeen cities from Western Europe, one from North America (Montreal), and seven from the Asia Pacific region (Goyang, Singapore, Songkhla, Melbourne, Sydney, Bangkok, and Brisbane) made it into the top 40. Singapore, in particular, made an impressive jump, climbing 18 places to secure the 17th position, aligning with its goal of becoming a global leader in sustainable tourism and events.

The 42 newcomers primarily represented small- and medium-sized cities, collectively accounting for 22.4 million inhabitants. In contrast, the returning destinations represented a significant population of 74.4 million. This surge in new destinations was attributed to the efforts of VisitBritain and Destination Canada, which respectively added 12 new English and 20 new Canadian destinations to the GDS-Index.

Key trends observed include a growing integration of climate strategies, expanded stakeholder engagement, increased third-party certification for venues, formalization of social impact strategies, a heightened focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, and a greater emphasis on storytelling and communication of sustainability efforts.

Large cities, constituting 37% of the index, consistently scored the highest across all four categories. The results demonstrate that destination management organizations and national tourism organizations play a pivotal role in driving economic, social, and environmental transformation within the tourism and events sector.

In the words of Guy Bigwood, CEO of GDS-Movement, these results underscore the potential for positive change within the travel and events industry through concerted sustainability efforts. By scaling regenerative action plans with urgency, the industry can pave the way for meaningful progress and a more sustainable future.

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