Cities who join the Global Destination Sustainability Movement (GDS-Movement) will now have access to satellite technology to help them monitor environmental trends, identify the most pressing challenges, and allocate resources accordingly.
The GDS-Movement has entered a ‘strategic partnership’ with Toulouse, France-based Murmuration, which uses satellite data and Artificial Intelligence to support sustainable tourism.
This collaboration will also give GDS-Movement members access to Murmuration’s training and consulting services, aimed at building resilience for the future.
Founded by two space engineers in 2019, Murmuration uses satellite Earth observation and AI to deliver real-time insights for stakeholders across the visitor economy.
Through dashboards, destination management organisations can monitor environmental and climate trends, assess risks, and optimise resource management.
The company claims it can offer ‘comprehensive insights into biodiversity and landscape quality, air and water quality, and live and predictive data on visitor levels.
Guy Bigwood, GDS-Movement, said: “We are excited to partner with Murmuration, whose advanced satellite and AI-driven solutions bring outstanding value to our growing community. This collaboration enables destinations to further successfully tackle critical issues, turning complex, correlated data into actionable insights. By equipping destinations with progressive tools, we can help them not only solve today’s challenges but anticipate and manage future impacts.”
Photo Credit: Murmuration
Tarek Habib, Co-founder and CEO of Murmuration, added: “Our partnership with GDS-Movement is a major, concrete step in the journey to achieving positive global impact. The GDS-Movement's expertise, network, and reach, powered by Murmuration's technology, enable us to better support tourism stakeholders in reaching their sustainability goals and moving into a regeneration paradigm. Together, we approach topics such as destination sustainability certification, carrying capacity and seasonality using trailblazing tools and methodologies."
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Editor's comment
The environmental consultancy market is far from saturated. According to one report, it is anticipated to hit US$65bn by 2030, on a compound annual growth rate of 7.8 per cent. Well-known in business events circles, the GDS-Movement is increasingly quoted in mainstream media, particularly its annual GDS-Index, which provides rankings of member cities' sustainability performance. With increased exposure will come increased scrutiny. Linking up with Murmuration, a company that uses data to help its clients make decisions, adds another layer of expertise - and credibility - to Bigwood and his team in a market where competition is set to get fiercer.
Written By
James Lancaster
AMI editor James
Lancaster is a familiar face in the meetings industry and international
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