Gothenburg has been named the most sustainable destination
for the seventh time.
With a remarkable score of 94.64 per cent, the Swedish city,
represented by Göteborg & Co, secured first place in the GDS-Index, which ranked
100 cities on their commitment to transforming their social, environmental,
supplier, and destination management offerings.
This year, 42 cities from 11 countries took part for the
first time, challenging the overall ranking, and, in some instances, brought
nail-biting results within decimal points of one another.
Oslo went up from tenth place to second because of its
improved strategy and implementation. Copenhagen remained at third place, and
Helsinki came in at fourth place, up from twelfth place in 2022. Eight of the
top ten cities are in Nordic countries, up from seven in 2022.
Growth in other regions
Of the top 40, 17 cities were from Western Europe, one city
from North America (Montreal), and seven cities from Asia Pacific (Goyang,
Singapore, Songkhla, Melbourne, Sydney, Bangkok, and Brisbane). Singapore
jumped 18 places to 17th position this year, delivering on its ambition to
becoming a world-class leader in sustainable tourism and events.
Boost in newcomers
The 42 newcomers are predominantly from small- and
medium-sized cities, collectively accounting for 22.4 million inhabitants. In
contrast, the returning destinations encompass a substantial population of 74.4
million. This big jump in new destinations was propelled by VisitBritain and
Destination Canada, which respectively saw 12 new English and 20 new Canadian
destinations join.
Other trends include:
1. Increasing integration with climate strategies
85% of all cities have a climate mitigation and adaptation
strategy.
2. Wider stakeholder engagement
55% of new destinations are engaging stakeholders in their
strategies, whereas 95% of returning destinations already do.
3. Growing third-party certification
Venues are leading the change. In Nordic destinations, 84%
of venues are certified, followed by 71% in Asia Pacific, 46% in Western
Europe, and 14% in Eastern Europe.
4. Formalising social impact strategies
44% of cities are facilitating partnerships to help clients
generate a long-term, positive impact and legacy in the destination.
5. Increasing focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion
(DEI)
75% of cities in the top 40 have DEI policies and
initiatives.
6. Greater storytelling
More than half (53%) of destinations are talking about their
sustainability efforts via their websites. Advanced destinations are getting
better at telling stories that engage and move audiences.
The index data offer valuable insights into the
sustainability performance of cities of varied sizes. Large cities comprise 37
per cent of the index, and score the highest across all four categories.
Guy Bigwood, CEO, GDS-Movement, said: "The evolution
and results of the GDS-Index unequivocally demonstrate that destination
management organisations and national tourism organisations can and do drive
accelerated economic, social, and environmental transformation within their
tourism and events ecosystems. With this compelling evidence, we hold the key
to an optimistic future for travel and events. By amplifying our regenerative
action plans and scaling them with urgency, we pave the way for meaningful
change and progress."
The full results can be found here.
Written By
James Lancaster
AMI editor James
Lancaster is a familiar face in the meetings industry and international
association community. Since joining AMI in 2010, he has gained a reputation
for asking difficult questions and getting lost in convention centres. Proofer, podcaster, and panellist - in his spare time, James likes to walk,
read, listen to music, and drink beer.
